WALTHAM SINGERS

WALTHAM SINGERS

Christmas Concert at the Parish Church

08.12.2012

A Yuletide cornucopia from Andrew Fardell and the Waltham Singers, avoiding the obvious and celebrating the coming of the Light of the World.

James MacMillan's muscular O Radiant Dawn made an impressive opener, one of several works by living composers, including Colin Mawby's late-flowering Romantic Ave Maria, Morten Lauridsen's hypnotic O Magnum Mysterium, and Eric Whitacre's justly famous Lux Aurumque, performed with filigree-fine vocal textures.

With the Meridian Sinfonia, the Singers gave us a fine Vivaldi Gloria to finish, with solos from Geoff Coates' oboe, Richard Fomison's natural trumpet, Sarah Potter, soprano, and Edward McMullan, counter-tenor, who also sang But Who May Abide, from Messiah, before the choir's For Unto Us, beautifully realised, the placing of the voices bringing out the drama and the power of Handel's choral writing.

Under Andrew Fardell, their Musical Director for the past 30 years, the Waltham Singers' sound is strong, agile and disciplined; their audience packed the church. They celebrate 40 years in 2013, with Verdi's Requiem in Chelmsford Cathedral.

TRINITY METHODIST MUSIC AND DRAMA

TRINITY METHODIST MUSIC AND DRAMA

Christmas Concert at Trinity

09.12.2012

One of the most heart-warming signs of Christmas's approach, the Trinity concert, a traditional blend of carols, songs and readings.

Guest artists this year were a keen and disciplined choir from the Cathedral School, directed by Head Teacher Anthea Kenna, who sang four contrasting pieces, starting with that gingerbread feeling from John Williams' score for Home Alone. Ken Rolf's reading took us from wildest Wales, with Dylan Thomas, to the snow-covered Dales with Gervase Phinn.

We all learned, and performed, a multi-tasking "Hi Dom", harmonies, rhythms and all, cajoled and encouraged by Felicity Wright, who directed the concert.

We enjoyed Roger Jones's accessible oratorio While Shepherds Watched, putting said shepherds and their sheep centre stage, and including a lovely setting of In The Bleak Midwinter. The choir also sang a dynamic, upbeat Falantidada, two Rutter favourites and Sargent's setting of Little David Play On Your Harp. And to end, Robin Nelson's Out Of Your Sleep, before they wished us a fugal, figgy-pudding Merry Christmas.

Bolton Abbey by Keith Melling

CANDLELIT CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Writtle Singers in All Saints' Church

12.12.10

Celebrating Christmas and Advent this year with just one concert, but with two choirs, two readings and two organ solos from accompanist Simon Harvey.

I enjoyed his playing of the reflective Brahms, and the poem by Clive Sansom which has the Innkeeper's wife recalling the night of the Nativity.

Chelmsford Youth Choir, conducted by Tony Chew, gave us Bob Chilcott's Midwinter, a lively Baby Boy, and John Gardner's witty version of The Holly and the Ivy, supported in this last by the Writtle Singers. Resplendent in their festive waistcoats, they had a striking carol arrangement, too – Malcolm Williamson's Ding Dong Merrily.

They began with Britten's antiphonal Hymn to the Virgin, with the solo quartet in the darkness behind us. Lullay My Liking had an impressive range of solo voices, Lully Lulla an excellent soloist, and the choir, directed by Christine Gwynn, was at its intimate best in Howells' Little Door.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

Trinity Methodist Drama and Music Fellowship

04.12.10

The Advent Candle, the Advent Calendar, the Trafalgar Square tree – these Yuletide harbingers are joined by musical events all over the county.

None more enjoyable than Trinity's annual Carol Concert. This is an enthusiastic, disciplined choir who make a full, positive sound. No readings this year, but even more unusual offerings, plus of course some timeless favourites.

So we were treated to a reflective Shepherds' Farewell, a lively Jingle Bells, and, to greet us, Walton's “merry and glad” anthem What Cheer.

There was a seasonal swing to the gospel Rise Up Shepherd, and an attractive arrangement of Sleigh Ride. The novelties included a fiendish scena centred on Mrs Beeton's Pudding, a Catalan carol, a version of Deck the Hall which nodded to several other Christmas pieces, and a violent antidote to the familiar Twelve Days.

Among the solos, a wonderful Warlock from Adam Sullivan and Janet Moore's beautifully delivered Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, appropriately accompanied by Edward Montgomery's lounge piano.

The concert was conducted and compered by Felicity Wright, with Keith Byatt's “merry organ” adding weight to our audience efforts.

CHRISTMAS CONCERT

The Stondon Singers

22.12.09

In the icy heart of Jericho – the lovely priory church of Saint Lawrence in Blackmore – the Stondon Singers brought us their choral Christmas celebration, sung with their customary style and skill and sensitivity.

Last year we heard the popular Sir Christemas, by Welsh composer William Mathias. This year, the entire carol sequence from which it comes: Ave Rex, its four movements by turns melodious and refreshingly effervescent.

The concert was marked by contrasts. The spiritual contemplation of Arvo Part and Maurice Duruflé, Willcocks' bright setting of Ding Dong Merrily, with the dancing organ played by Stephen King. For his solo, he chose a Canon on the tune Forest Green [O Little Town] by Andrew Carter, whose arrangement of Angelus ad Virginem was part of the closing sequence.

No Christmas is complete without a party piece, and King joined conductor Christopher Tinker in a witty piano duet loosely based on Schubert's Marche Militaire, but with bits of Beethoven and broken Toy Soldiers in there too. The “composer” was John Gardner, whose best known carol, Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day, was slotted in between the Carter and the Bleak Midwinter.

There was Byrd, of course, and his Spanish contemporary Victoria, followed by Tinker's delightful lullaby, Hush! My dear, lie still and slumber.

The Singers began and ended behind us in the West End – Palestrina and Stille Nacht, before the mulled wine and the chilly journey home.