MUSIC
FOR CHRISTMAS 2017
Hutton
& Shenfield Choral Society at the Brentwood Centre
23.12.17
Steeped
in tradition and Christmas spirit, this musical treat heralds the
start of the festivities for many.
Accompanied
by the excellent Aurelian Symphony Orchestra, the choir gave us Rutter, of
course: his Angels’ Carol, with Lynne Creasey’s harp, and the
Shepherd’s Pipe Carol, with Ann Miller’s piccolo. Plus
a toe-tapping I Saw Three Ships, and a splendid choral Jingle Bells.
Carols
for the audience, too, beginning, as custom dictates, with Once in
Royal, and ending with Hark the Herald. They
were conducted with infectious enthusiasm by Tim Hooper.
Guests
included Santa Claus, descending through the audience to
reward the children who’d just sung Away in a Manger. The choir
from St Thomas of Canterbury, directed by Anna Dunn, with Tim Smith
at the keyboard, singing some lovely, less familiar, Christmas songs,
including Gonna Catch That Santa, complete
with harmonies and hand movements. The children joined the adults for
an arrangement of Calypso Carol, commissioned last year for the
Society’s 50th
anniversary.
Chelmsford
Ballet Company revived some favourite moments from this year’s
Civic production, Alice's Adventures – flocks of flamingos, packs
of playing cards, Tweedles Dum and Dee, all dancing to Carl Davis’s
score played live – and, as a foretaste of next year’s Snow Queen
perhaps, Ice Maidens.
Graham
Padden was the narrator for Philip Lane’s setting of The Night
Before Christmas, and also for the highlight of the evening, a witty
setting
by Edward Watson of John Julius Norwich’s hilarious Twelve Days of
Christmas. Hissing geese from the choir, swans from Paul Lockyer’s
cello, drummers of course, but, thankfully no bagpipes, the chanter
melody provided by the violin of Aurelian’s leader, Philippa
Barton.
