Soloists: Alison Rose (Soprano), Jeremy Jepson (Alto)
The biggest feather in the choir’s cap was their premiere of David Machell’s Gloria, clearly inspired by Vivaldi but speaking in its own distinctive voice and exploding in a starburst of energy
Review for Nottingham Evening Post
AS befitting a Diamond Jubilee concert, there was a lot to celebrate.
First of all, Her Majesty’s glorious reign, so it was right and proper that the Bach Choir opened with a full-throated setting of the National Anthem and ended with a specially re-orchestrated performance of Parry’s I Was Glad.
The choir also had reason to celebrate their choice of venue. St John’s, Carrington, is well-equipped for music-making and produces a sound that is both warm and clear.
And this is just what you want for brightly festive works which require nimble responses from singers and instrumentalists – such as Haydn’s Little Organ Mass and Vivaldi’s Gloria, both given plenty of rhythmic bounce by conductor Paul Hale and his musicians.
But perhaps the biggest feather in the choir’s cap was their premiere of David Machell’s Gloria, clearly inspired by Vivaldi but speaking in its own distinctive voice and exploding in a starburst of energy.
The urgent, often syncopated rhythms for voices (the choir joined by soprano Alison Rose and counter-tenor Jeremy Jepson) were given extra bite by the accompanying trumpet, organ and the rest of the small but incisive instrumental band.
Composer, performers and audience all had good cause to rejoice.