Reviews

Jenkins - The Armed Man with Elgar - Benedictus & Te Deum

Richard Balcombe 5th December 2025

Sir Karl Jenkins

I have always been a huge fan of Edward Elgar – not just the populist (and popular) Pomp and Circumstance Marches but the Symphonies and orchestral compositions and particularly the Oratorios and choral music. So it was an immense pleasure for me to be in the Memorial Hall of Bishop’s Stortford College on Saturday last to hear Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society and Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia perform two Elgar pieces that were new to me.
The Te Deum and Benedictus are scored for choir and large orchestra and contain much beautiful music. We are immediately in the sound and harmonic world of the symphonies – very chromatic, almost Wagnerian at times, but securely rooted in the English tradition. The choir threw themselves into the performance with complete conviction and wallowed in the great choral writing. There were occasions when the orchestra overwhelmed the choir in volume but the essence of the music was brilliantly served.
The concert had begun with Mendelssohn’s Overture The Hebrides (also known as Fingal’s Cave). Conductor Richard Brain led us through the calm and storms of the Hebridean coast with complete control. Some beautiful woodwind solos coloured the performance which perfectly captured the ebb and flow of the sea in that region.
I have, sadly, never attended a performance of Sir Karl Jenkins “The Armed Man” – until now. I was immensely moved by the performance as were all the audience around me. His musical style is all embracing – based firmly in the classical tradition he adds contemporary elements as well as hints of blues and jazz. The music is like a film score – conjuring images in the mind through the power of the music. The subject matter – the futility of war and the consequences we all have to live with following war – is so in the moment for us now.
The entire performance was utterly convincing. Richard Brain paced the piece perfectly, the drama always being allowed time to play out. Special mention to soprano soloist Teresa Pearson for her controlled, limpid solos and also to the members of the choir who took solo lines.
Orchestrally I must credit the brass – very fine trumpet and trombone solos – and the beautiful cello solo in the Benedictus. Huge congratulations to cellist Michael Wigram for a wonderfully controlled, perfectly pitched performance of an extremely difficult solo.
Bravo to everyone! Once again, I have to say how fortunate we are to have all this talent performing locally. Over 120 people involved in the realisation of a musical dream. Thank you all.

A Summer Evening of Brass & Song

Gareth Oakland 5th July 2025

The cycle of summer live music spectaculars moved east from Glastonbury and Cardiff and arrived at the Methodist Church on South Street on Saturday night as two of Stortford’s most venerable music groups came together in a historic first meeting.
The Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society has been going since 1940 and the Bishop’s Stortford Band eight years earlier, so they made the most of the opportunity with a mixture of folk, classical, jazz and popular numbers. The first half combined modern composers with ancient words – Psalms, Kit Marlow, Shakespeare and the Saga writers all featuring alongside wonderfully melodic folk songs delivered faultlessly by the choir. The Band opened with composer Gustav Holst’s gorgeous Second Suite in F (Holst spend much of his time in nearby Thaxted and the countryside around Stortford was captured beautifully by the Band).
Whilst the gentle folk songs provided calm interludes of unrequited love, music can also tell a more serious story. Langford’s New World Fantasy, and Thunderbirds Theme reminded us of a time when we could be certain that America were the good guys, whilst Shostakovich and Sibelius told us of Russian imperialism and courageous resistance. Finlandia/Be Still My Soul hymn, evokes the struggle for freedom of the Finns from Russia and was delivered with a passion much appreciated by the audience in the most sombre moment of the night.
If most of the concert was focussed on modern music, the last two pieces came from Handel’s earlier masterpieces. A note-perfect choir accompanied by Richard Carr on the organ, drums and trumpeters from the Band, sang Zadok the Priest as though the King rather than the mayor of Bishop’s Stortford was sitting in the balcony. And, after much applause, an unexpected encore of the Hallelujah Chorus showed the Band and Chorus at their very best.
The evening was conducted with aplomb and humour by Bishop’s Stortford Band Music Director, Stuart Dodgson, and BSCS Musical Director, Richard Brain. A successful experiment in fusing two musical traditions that's worth considering for the many other music groups in the town.

Bach - St Matthew Passion

Richard Balcombe 29th March 2025

Johann Sebastian Bach

Following on from their exhilarating performance of the Verdi Requiem in December, the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society presented JS Bach’s St Matthew Passion to a large and enthusiastic audience in the Memorial Hall of Bishop’s Stortford College on Saturday night.
Bach’s two settings of the Passion – St John and St Matthew – are at the pinnacle of the choral repertoire. Telling the story through a narrator (the Evangelist), vocal soloists, choir and orchestra, we are transported into a musical world of huge contrasts – the sublime to the agonising. Musically it is very complex with taxing vocal solos accompanied by dazzling virtuosic obbligati from the orchestra. We were lucky to have Musica Donum Dei as the orchestra – playing on original, or copies of original instruments which give a much mellower sound overall, but also the opportunity to shock when, for example, depicting the earthquake after the rending of the veil in the temple. There were particularly beautiful contributions from oboe, baroque flute and viola da gamba.
For the role of the Evangelist we were privileged to hear the mellifluous tones of James Gilchrist, who has sung this all over the world. He delivered the narration with passion and absolute clarity throughout, beautifully accompanied by the continuo players. David Shipley sang the role of Jesus with a powerful, resonant bass, full of pain and anguish. It is wonderful how Bach always accompanies his recitatives with strings – it gives a sort of musical halo around the character. We heard strong solo aria contributions from the four young soloists Emily Wilson, Charlotte Sleet, Jordan Wilson and Julian Chou-Lambert.
The choir, or I should say the two choirs (there are two choirs and two orchestras), acquitted themselves admirably. Whether commenting on the action, answering the questions posed by the Evangelist in short outbursts or singing the beautiful chorales they were always attentive and passionate. In particular the opening and closing choruses were powerful and very moving.
As always, Richard Brain marshalled his forces with aplomb, pacing the piece well and maintaining tension as the story unfolded.
It’s a brave undertaking to perform this piece and, once again, I have to say how fortunate we are in Bishop’s Stortford to be able to listen to this wonderful music on our doorstep.

Verdi - Requiem

Richard Balcombe 7th December 2024

Giuseppe Verdi

I imagine most people’s initial thought of a Requiem Mass would be to expect something respectful and quite sombre – think of those by Fauré, Duruflé, Mozart and Brahms. Verdi’s is more like the 29th opera he never got round to writing – conceived on a huge scale for large choir and orchestra and four operatic soloists. Much of the music is reminiscent of his own operas – the bombast and grandeur of the Dies Irae could come straight from Il Trovatore, the Agnus Dei recalls Violetta’s pensive aria in La Traviata and the Sanctus feels very much like the final fugue from Falstaff.
This was an exhilarating performance by Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society and Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia. The piece is not performed that often because of the forces required – 4 bassoons, a Cimbasso (a more rustic version of the tuba preferred by Verdi and Rossini in particular) and 8 trumpets to name but a few!
Conductor Richard Brain marshalled his forces with aplomb – the operatic nature of the music requires much rubato and he steered the orchestra carefully around the many corners.
The four soloists distinguished themselves throughout – the solo vocal writing is very exposed with many passages unaccompanied and often in unison. Special mention for soprano Philippa Boyle for some beautifully floated high notes, mezzo soprano Felicity Buckland for a powerful Liber Scriptus, tenor Andrew Henley for a stunning Ingemisco and bass René Bloice-Sanders for a commanding Tuba Mirum.
However the piece demands most from the chorus and orchestra. The choir’s attack and ensemble were exemplary with excellent precision at all times, the dynamic variety from the very softest pianissmo to the loudest fortissimo was admirable and the sense of sheer enjoyment was palpable.
The orchestra shone in moments such as the Dies Irae with its thunderclap bass drum strokes which had the foundations of the Hall shaking, the tumultuous trumpets answering each other from afar and the deep sonorous chords of the 4 bassoons and trombones so rich and deep, and the magical moments in the Recordare and Lacrymosa were filled with a quiet passion.
Huge congratulations to everyone involved in this presentation – we are very fortunate to have so much musical talent very close to home in the town.

Utterly Rutterly

Lauren O'Neill 29th June 2024

Sir John Rutter CBE

Whilst 200,000 people spent Saturday night down at Worthy Farm watching the likes of Coldplay, many of us had the treat of watching the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society’s summer concert “Utterly Rutterly” - a celebration of newly-knighted Sir John Rutter and a host of other composers.
The concert was conducted with bags of energy by the choir’s musical director, Richard Brain and opened with Rutter’s stirring Te Deum. The piece showcased the talents of the Choral Society, the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia Brass Ensemble and percussionists as well as organist, Richard Carr, and set an uplifting tone for the rest of the evening.
The diverse range of pieces that the choir tackled was extremely impressive, including a percussive and challenging French piece by Lili Boulanger which reached a wonderful crescendo. We were also treated to some Latin; the first half of the concert reached a close with the stirring Ecce Sacerdos Magnus by Bruckner.
The brass ensemble, taking the spotlight for two solo numbers, provided a wonderful contrast to the choral pieces. Their rendition of Three Brass Cats by Chris Hazell was particularly notable, infusing the hall with a sense of joy.
The concert concluded with another wonderful piece by Sir John Rutter, his Gloria. The choral society, brass ensemble and percussion, once again, delivered a performance that was both vibrant and exultant.
The real highlight of the evening, however, was when the audience and choir came together to sing Jerusalem, bringing a sense of community and shared experience that everyone enjoyed.
Overall, the evening was a testament to the, no doubt, hard work of all involved, and it left the audience with a sense of uplifted spirits amid the warm summer’s evening.
Looking forward to the next one!

Handel - Israel in Egypt

Bishop’s Stortford Independent 23rd March 2024

George F Handel

Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society combined with the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia on Saturday night to tackle the plagues of Egypt as conceived by George Frideric Handel in his brilliant biblical oratorio, Israel in Egypt.
A packed audience at the Methodist Church heard the choir and orchestra recreate the story of Moses and the Exodus, complete with vividly-imagined musical illustrations of the frogs, flies, locusts and hailstones, the crossing of the Red Sea, the waves parted by Moses and the ultimate destruction by drowning of the Pharaoh’s troops.
Most of the action is delivered by the choir in a series of choruses, which is a test of any choir’s vocal stamina. But there are also solo moments too and the choir was joined by sopranos Emily Chapman and Eppie Sharp, countertenor Matthew Farrell and tenor Jordan Wilson.
Afterwards, there were warm words of praise from concert-goers.
Vic Knope, who travelled up from Epping for the performance said: “It was an exhilarating evening with a spirited performance by the choir, who managed the various moods and dynamics of the oratorio to perfection. The four soloists all sang with great conviction. A joy to all who were lucky enough to be there."
Another audience member, Richard Ridler, agreed. “BSCS’s presentation of Handel’s Israel in Egypt was, as the text suggests, ‘glorious’. Once again the conductor Richard Brain led the choir and orchestra magnificently.”
And on Facebook, Lucy Ambrose commended “absolutely brilliant performances” from all concerned.

Beethoven - 'Choral' 9th Symphony

Richard Balcombe 2nd December 2023

Ludwig van Beethoven

Beethoven’s 9th symphony, also known as the Choral Symphony, is undoubtedly a cornerstone of the symphonic repertoire but it is most unusual for it to be programmed by an amateur choral society. But that’s reckoning without conductor Richard Brain and the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society. In a concert on Saturday night at the Memorial Hall in Bishop’s Stortford College we were lucky to hear this amazing piece performed live.
It was written between 1822 and 1824, being first performed in Vienna in May of 1824. Vocal soloists and a choir had never been utilised in a symphony before and they offer a fitting climax to the 4th movement of the piece. Beethoven was profoundly deaf at the time of writing and, indeed, had to be turned around to face the audience to see the standing ovation at the end of that first performance. Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia tackled this extremely difficult composition with great skill and stamina – some beautiful woodwind solos and great work from the French horn section in the 3rd movement – ripping through the scherzo and delivering a fine peroration at the close. The choir attacked their contribution with great vigour and the famous “Ode to Joy” shone through as a beacon of light. A full house clearly appreciated the performance with loud and extended applause.
The concert began with The Song of Destiny by Johannes Brahms. A short work for choir and orchestra, this bears all the hallmarks of the composer in his mature years. It sets a poem by Friedrich Hölderlein concerning the fate of mankind and is in a sombre mood. The music has a great beauty as well as a profound sadness, beautifully orchestrated and full of lush, romantic harmonies. It was a performance of controlled emotion, choir and orchestra blending seamlessly.
We also heard Mozart’s Coronation Mass which dates from 1779, being first performed in Salzburg. It is a vibrant setting of the Latin Mass for choir, 4 soloists and orchestra. Most unusually for Mozart there are no violas in the orchestra, although trumpets and trombones do feature strongly. We heard a vibrant performance – rhythmically very strong and precise from both orchestra and choir. The four soloists – Tess Pearson, Felicity Buckland, Edward Hughes and René Bloice-Sanders – sang beautifully, including a stunning Agnus Dei from Ms Pearson which also featured an exquisite oboe obbligato.
A very ambitious programme to say the least, but thanks are due to all the participants for allowing us to hear such beautiful music in our own town. Long may the choir and orchestra thrive!

A Night at the Opera

Lucy Ambrose 24th June 2023

As someone whose knowledge of opera comes mainly from The Simpsons and The Three Tenors, I didn’t know what to expect from Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society’s concert “A Night at the Opera”.
However, from the opening Habanera Chorus from Bizet's Carmen to the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves, I became immersed in a world of music with which I found myself remarkably familiar – no doubt from the soundtrack of music that you hear all the time in films, TV and advertising. The experience was amplified by hearing the music as written, and performed with great passion and fun by the choir and soloists. The concentration powers of Liz Hill on piano, who played throughout the entire concert, were amazing.

Live music with no microphones, backing tracks or other technological aids; a concentration of 150 years of fantastic music written for soap opera-like scripts! What’s not to love?
It was truly a night to remember and I can't wait for Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society's next concert!

Brahms - Ein deutsches Requiem

Richard Balcombe 25th March 2023

Johannes Brahms

Johannes Brahms composed his Requiem between 1865 and 1868 and it may well have been inspired by the death of his mother in February of 1865. The work’s full title, "Ein deutsches Requiem" stems from the fact that it is written in the German language rather than following the Latin Mass for the dead. The text, from the Lutheran Bible, does not use Christian dogma but relies more on the Lord as a source of comfort and a sympathetic humanism is at the core of the piece. Brahms did in fact say that he would have happily called it Ein menschliches Requiem – a human Requiem.
It is Brahms’ longest work and contains some of his most beautiful music – at turns, rhapsodic, elegiac and majestically triumphant. BSCS gave heart and soul in the performance – the work is mostly choral and the stamina required is enormous. The choir never flagged and the fullness of tone was exemplary. The German text was delivered with precision and clarity and the choir’s commitment could not be questioned. Conductor Richard Brain marshalled his forces with quiet calm.
They were accompanied by eight members of the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia in an arrangement by Iain Farrington. Although one sometimes missed the power of the full orchestra this reduction worked extremely well and was often reminiscent of Brahms’ chamber music and at times called to mind Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll.
Tessa Pearson (soprano) and Julian Chou-Lambert (baritone) offered excellent vocal solos with beauty of tone and engaging personality.
In all a fulfilling evening, underlining the excellent work BSCS and the Sinfonia are doing for the local community. Long may they both continue.

Vaughan Williams - A Sea Symphony

Richard Balcombe 26th November 2022

Ralph Vaughan Williams

In these straitened times we should be very grateful that we can still attend live performances which can help to re-invigorate our lives. Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society should be extremely proud to have mounted a performance of Ralph Vaughan Williams epic Sea Symphony accompanied by the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia last Saturday night in the Methodist Church.
This is one of the cornerstones of the English choral repertoire – not a mass or an oratorio but a symphony which uses the choral elements to compliment the orchestra in the development of the musical plan. Is there a more stirring opening to a symphony than this? I certainly don’t know of one. The shift from the brass fanfare in B flat minor to the opening choral entry “Behold the sea” in a blazing D major is one of the most stunning musical statements ever made.
The sound of choir and orchestra together (more than 100 performers) was scintillating and exhilarating. The orchestra played beautifully throughout the evening, woodwind, brass and strings all excelling at different times and the choir really came to the fore in the quieter passages such as the opening of the last movement “O vast Rondure, swimming in space”. The conductor, Richard Brain, clearly loves the piece and he paced the performance well, giving enough time to let each moment make its mark. The two soloists, Philippa Boyle and René Bloice-Sanders shone in their solos with impressive clarity of diction and beauty of sound.
We also heard the orchestra play the Overture from “The Wasps” which saw Vaughan Williams at his theatrical best, portraying the insects so succinctly and also using his love of English folk song. Toward the Unknown Region is not as well known as the Sea Symphony but bears all the hallmarks of Vaughan Williams as a celebrated film composer – we can hear pre-echoes of his score for the film 49th Parallel and also his Sinfonia Antarctica (following on from his score for the film Scott of the Antarctic).
A thoroughly enjoyable evening, much appreciated by the large audience who responded with vociferous applause. Thank you BSCS for giving us the opportunity to escape from the world for a few hours!

Elgar - The Dream of Gerontius

Richard Balcombe 9th April 2022

Edward Elgar

To jointly celebrate their 80th anniversaries, Bishop’s Stortford and Barnet choral societies joined forces to present Elgar’s towering masterpiece, The Dream of Gerontius, at Saffron Hall on Saturday night.
It was an immense pleasure to be seated in a hall that was nearly full to capacity and watch a performance by close on 200 people after being unable to do so for so long. Clearly the performers felt the same joy, with a real sense of anticipation waiting for the concert to begin.
The two choirs share a musical director in Richard Brain, here conducting the Forest Philharmonic Orchestra. In the orchestral Prelude they immediately conjured up a characterful sound world, from the wistful, slightly melancholic tones of viola and lower woodwind and the heavenly colours of divisi strings right through to the sonorous resonance of full brass, all clearly delineated in the wonderful acoustic of Saffron Hall.
Peter Auty (a very late replacement for an ailing Daniel Norman) gave a heartfelt rendition of the Soul (Gerontius) approaching death, his crystal clear diction allowing us always to follow the narrative. Joined by the choirs, supporting him in prayer, there was a tremendous warmth to the sound and the contrapuntal textures throughout were very well managed.
Edward Grint, as the Priest, showed a very rich bass-baritone in his declaration “Proficiscere, anima Christiana” (Go forth upon thy journey, Christian Soul), later joined again by the choirs in the uplifting chorus to end the first half – Elgar at his most noble and passionate, music of a rare and grandiose beauty.
In part two, Gerontius continues on his journey, accompanied by the Angel, here sung in a warm and radiant mezzo-soprano by Felicity Buckland – her recurring “Alleluia” managing to pierce the heart on each occasion.
The choirs gave their all in a powerful Demons’ Chorus, with the orchestra giving fine support with their fierce fugal writing, and later a gleaming Praise to the Holiest with its tremendous, long crescendo and build to the shattering C major climax.
There were a few occasions when the orchestra overpowered the singers, but in general the performance was well balanced and always well paced by the conductor.
Edward Grint gave a searing account of the Angel of the Agony before the final beauty of “Softly and gently” and the choir’s “Lord, Thou has been our refuge”.
Elgar wrote in his score “This is the best of me” and that may well be true. In this loving, affectionate and ultimately passionate performance, we were shown the power of music and the joy it can bring.

Haydn - Nelson Mass

David Boarder 4th December 2021

Joseph Haydn

Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society and Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia held their first live concert in over 18 months with a performance of JS Bach’s exuberant Magnificat in D and Joseph Haydn’s triumphant Nelson Mass at All Saints’ Church, Hockerill, on Saturday December 4.
Singing in public for the first time since the first coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, the choir was in good voice and sang the choruses with verve and commitment. Conductor Richard Brain ensured that everything moved on at a good pace and with real energy.
The glory and fascination of Bach’s setting of Magnificat is how he constructed the sequence of choruses, solos, duet and trio, with such colourful vocal and orchestra writing. The five soloists brought a full range of appropriate energy and calm to their verses. Alto Leonora Dawson-Bowling and the Sinfonia’s two flutes were a notable high point in Esurientes and the oboe d’amore brought a characterful ‘nutty’ edge to the sound in Quia Respexit.
Joseph Haydn’s Nelson Mass – named after Admiral Horatio Nelson but originally called ‘Missa in Angustiis’ or ‘Mass for Troubled Times’ – was written in 1798 at a time when Napoleon Bonaparte was terrorising Europe. From the menacing opening Kyrie, Haydn demands much of singers and players with a soaring soprano solo – the fine Theresa Pearson – and the three military-style trumpets.
The subsequent movements are celebratory. Gloria has splendid opening and closing choruses and a central Qui Tollis in which the bass soloist, Robbie Haylett, brought good shape to a truly lovely tune. The Credo, a two-part canon, was driven along with plenty of energy by the choir.
Et Incarnatus Est is another fine melody introduced by the soprano soloist and then taken over by a suitably calmed chorus, before the Et Resurrexit, which was set up with great determination by the chorus tenors. This chorus has one of the best sections in the whole piece, where syncopated upper voices ‘bounce’ against the on-the-beat tenors and basses.
The movements which follow bring more challenges to soloists, chorus and orchestra. There are many notes to play and very high notes to sing. Sanctus starts slowly and jumps into a bright allegro; Benedictus (and later, Agnus Dei) sets the orchestra violins a challenge which these players met very well, and then the trumpet fanfares are back against the chorus.
The choir and orchestra brought this wonderful piece to a stunning end with yet more high notes for basses, altos, tenors and sopranos.
All were well entitled to the sustained applause and enthusiastic reception by the audience. Well done to Richard Brain, soloists and orchestra, choir members and committee and all who help behind the scenes.

Rachmaninov - Vespers

Helen Miller 14th March 2020

Sergei Rachmaninov

Bishop's Stortford Choral Society mustered all its energy to bring the power and the reflective quiet of Rachmaninov's Vespers, the All-Night Vigil, to All Saints' Church at Hockerill on Saturday.
The church was serene, bedecked with flickering red candle lights. Friends, family and others came and enjoyed the music, before the impending ban on large gatherings.
Singing this unfamiliar orthodox for music, in Slavonic Russian, often in eight parts and without accompaniment was a huge
challenge for the choir, but its hard work paid off. The sound of the big chords rang out and left its presence reverberating around the capitals of the columns.
In other movements, the Znamenny-style chanting rose and fell, before fading away to enable contemplation. The choir's basses did a brilliant job, singing lower than many will have tried before and underpinning the music, while the other voice parts also had their chance to lead the way.
Andrew Henley brought operatic strength to the tenor solos, while Liz Hill, the choir's talented piano accompanist, sang the alto solo voice beautifully.
Kate Macpherson played four contrasting organ pieces, by French contemporaries of Rachmaninov and a fellow Russian. She finished with Vocalise by Rachmaninov, providing a fitting platform for the climax of the Vespers.
Richard Brain, the choir's musical director, was delighted with the outcome. He said the choir's dedication and enormous efforts had led to a fantastic performance. David Boarder, the choir's former music director, enthused: "I love the ambition of the choir and they achieved a strong sound and balance".
Rachmaninov's Vespers has been said to represent the end of an era, as he wrote the piece in 1915, when Russia was in political turmoil and the First World War was raging. This Saturday, singers set aside their worries about the threat of coronavirus and its impact on our era and, transported by the power of the music and their sense of achievement, finished the evening on a high.

Rutter - Requiem

Helen Miller 7th December 2019

Sir John Rutter CBE

On Saturday, the combined forces of Bishop's Stortford Choral Society and Bishop's Stortford Sinfonia sang out loud and clear in Rutter's glorious Requiem at the Methodist Church.
John Rutter has said about his requiem that "it stands as a clear sign of humanity's quest for solace and light amidst the darkness and troubles of our age". Singers, performers and the audience all felt that, to their core.
The haunting solos of cellist Ed Furse, soprano Teresa Pearson and flautist Simon Gilliver gave sombre, reflective moments before the wonderfully light harp strings (Alexander Thomas) and oboe (Julia White) opened us all for relief from anguish and finally gave way to light in the final movement, the Lux Aeterna.
For some singers it was particularly special to return to the Requiem. The choral society, then called the Bishop's Stortford Musical Association choir, last sang it in November 1987, just two years after it was first performed in Dallas. Theirs was one of the first
performances of the work in the UK, and John Rutter, who lives in Cambridgeshire, was in the audience and took his own bow at the end of the performance and signed singers' programmes!
Richard Brain, the choral society's music director, had chosen a lovely mix of Christmas music to complement the Requiem. The Sinfonia treated us to a spirited Corelli Christmas Concerto. And Nicholas Morton (bass) and the choir sang with both gusto and finesse as the melodies demanded in Vaughan Williams' Fantasia on Christmas Carols.
Nicholas Morton led off with a sonorous The Truth Sent From Above, and he, the choir and orchestra followed with intricate versions of other now well-known carols, including God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen and the Sussex Carol.
What a joyous evening, and with audience and performers making donations, it also raised £545 for the Holy Trinity Winter Night Shelter.

Ethel Smyth - Mass in D

Richard Lewin 1st December 2018

Ethel Smyth

The great flowering of British music in the late Victorian and Edwardian years was explored in Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society’s concert on Saturday at All Saints’ Church, Hockerill.
The choir began with two well-known works by Parry: I Was Glad, taken from Psalm 122, which has been used as a Coronation anthem and has been sung at royal weddings, and his setting of Milton’s poem Blest Pair of Sirens, another favourite of local choirs.
BSCS have become a well- disciplined and enthusiastic force under Richard Brain’s intensive training and they are to be complimented on their willingness to explore some of the more difficult parts of the choral repertoire.
They were accompanied throughout the programme by the Bishop’s Stortford Sinfonia, and what an exciting musical partnership this has become. The orchestra were allowed some of the limelight for a crisp and thoughtful performance of Two Songs Without Words, written in 1906 by Parry’s pupil Gustav Holst.
In this year of the suffragette, it was appropriate that the second half of the concert should be devoted to a little-known work, the Mass in D, by “a little known native composer”, as Ethel Smyth described herself.
Smyth was born within a 10-year period that saw the arrival of those other musical infants, Elgar, Parry and Stanford; Sullivan was not much older. These last four are household names, but Ethel Smyth laboured under the handicap of being a woman.
To the distress of her military father, Ethel chose music as her profession; in middle age she became an active suffragette and spent time in Holloway.
The Smyth family’s neighbour, the Empress Eugenie, was totally unmusical, “a great asset in a musical patron” as Ethel observed, and a visit to Balmoral with the Empress led to a first performance of her Mass in D at the Royal Albert Hall; it was enthusiastically received by the audience, but the male musical establishment was merely patronising, and it was over 30 years before the Mass had a second hearing.
By this time severe deafness had cut short Dame Ethel’s career as a composer, although she outlived all her more famous contemporaries.
The inspiration to write the Mass came from Ethel Smyth’s friendship with Pauline Trevelyan, a girl of “extreme gentleness and delicate beauty” who was a devout Catholic. At the composer’s direction the sections of the Mass are rearranged so that the Gloria comes at the end.
The choir kept its focus from the quietly passionate Kyrie through to the last triumphal Amen, and were well supported by as impressive a quartet of soloists as Bishop’s Stortford has heard in a long time: Teresa Pearson (soprano), Felicity Buckland (contralto), Richard Robbins (tenor) and Edward Kay (bass).
Richard Brain marshalled his forces with vigour and clarity, although from where your reviewer was sitting there were occasional problems of balance.

Mendelssohn - Elijah

Chantale Darke 30th June 2018

Felix Mendelssohn

On a hot June Saturday evening in the Methodist Church the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society met the varying demands of Mendelssohn’s Elijah with enthusiasm and panache. Credit must be given to the Music Director, Richard Brain and the BSCS Committee for choosing this oratorio and guiding the 70 strong choir to a powerful and moving performance. The Old Testament theme of prophesied drought and harvest at risk had an immediate relevance for the concert audience as local hosepipe bans were being contemplated.
The role of the choir in the Elijah narrative is not straightforward. The chorus switches from being the “people of Israel” in one section, anguishing over the drought, to alternate believers in God and worshipers of false idols (Baal) in succeeding sections. One moment calling for the death of opponents... and the next singing as a choir of angelic messengers celebrating the glories of those who respect “the covenant of peace”. Perhaps predictably the singing was at its most powerful and the dynamics of the choir most effective when highlighting the need to have “fear of the Lord.”
The rehearsal and individual effort needed to bring a choral performance of this calibre to fruition is not to be under-estimated.
Added strength and professionalism were provided by the invited soloists Rene Bloice-Sanders, Felicity Buckland, Tom Castle , Catherine Woodward and Imogen Morris whose moving performances were warmly appreciated by the audience.
The overall performance would have been incomplete without the contribution made by the Hertfordshire Philharmonia Orchestra. This large local grouping of keen amateur musicians of professional standard supported the Choir and lifted the occasion to an evening of rounded entertainment with musical drama and pathos. Vibrant brass and woodwind sections responded brilliantly to Mendelssohn’s intended emphases. Skilful performances by flute and oboes on the chorus of “He watching over Israel” and an oboe solo at the Arioso “For the mountains shall depart” provided moments of moving tranquility.
Mendelssohn had serious anxieties about the first performance of Elijah at a Birmingham Music Festival in 1846. Had he been in the Bishop’s Stortford audience last week he would have gone home a very contented man.

Elgar - Bavarian Highlands

Helen Miller 17th March 2018

Edward Elgar

Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society sang of warmer times on Saturday as the snow kept on falling and swirling around outside. The programme was intended to help us into Spring and call to mind summer travels, as it climaxed with Elgar’s Scenes from the Bavarian Highlands. What it gave us was a cosy glow from togetherness, close harmonies and inter-woven lines from a historical exploration of the development of Part Songs.
The concert started bang up to date with Chilcott’s Aesop’s Fables. This was the Choral Society’s first go at public speaking, as each Fable had a spoken “Title” and ended with a moral. The audience were probably as unconvinced as the choir that the Swan’s song showed that “Music can delay death”. But the Choir then pushed home the message of the value of music to the soul with the most historic song they sang: Walmisley’s Music All Powerful – which spoke of Harmony softening the rugged road of life. It was a reminder that secular Glee singing, in Glee Clubs, was a key part of our musical heritage. It is a beautiful lyrical song and the Choral Society felt they had captured well through its various verses the range of moods that music can convey.
Richard Brain the Musical Director and conductor of the Choral Society said “The choir worked really hard to bring off this challenging programme”. And for the first time in many years three members of the Society had small solo parts. Paul Boreham, tenor, who routinely sings backing vocals in various bands, soared above the choir in Eric Whitacre’s Go, Lovely Rose and Sopranos Alice Brown and Clare Brown (unrelated!) likewise in the same piece. Alice learned her craft at Herts and Essex School and has since performed with St Mary’s in Maldon. Clare is a long time singer and previous soloist with the Choral Society.
The multi-talented Liz Hill brought the programme together, as piano accompanist and with her solo performances of Debussy and Rachmaninov piano works, it was lovely to hear her taking her own applause for her impressive skill and musicianship.

J S Bach - Mass in B Minor

Trevor Hounslow 2nd December 2017

J S Bach

Not only did the impressive ensemble give us a joyous musical experience filled with spectacular and moving choruses, but they performed this giant of the choral repertoire in subarctic temperatures that the “Kapellmeister” himself might have recognised in Leipzig.
It was very cold in All Saints Church but the setting was splendid. The audience were all dressed as if they were preparing to spend a night in Holy Trinity Church’s winter night shelter, which was boosted by some £250 on the evening.
This was a performance, the quality of which should be a beacon for music lovers in the town and environs. We should be so proud to have such a fine blend of amateur and professional music-making vested in this inspirational ensemble.
Bach would never have heard a complete performance of the Mass during his lifetime and it was not until the mid-19th century that his assortment of settings of both Lutheran and Catholic texts would see the light of day.
Conductor Richard Brain mustered the joint forces of the choral society, a quartet of splendid soloists and the Bishop’s Stortford sinfonia with great panache and skill.
For the choir, this is a “big sing”, with one mountain to climb after another and little respite. Entries were mainly secure and intonation refreshingly accurate and maintained throughout, from the impact of the Kyrie, the splendour of the Gloria and the lush harmonies of the Sanctus.
Not surprisingly, some tiredness crept into some pivotal moments in the Cum Sancto before the interval and perhaps later in the Et Resurrexit, but the quieter moments of the Qui Tollis, Et Incarnatus Est and the beautiful Crucifixus were wonderfully judged.
Of the soloists, the two memorable arias sung by velvet-voiced Helen Stanley and the contribution of Angus McPhee, the bass, in his two challenging arias which displayed fine dexterity, were high points.
The soprano, Daisy Walford, floated heavenly passages into the rafters of the church and all duets were finely balanced. The tenor was Richard Robbins, who completed the quartet that brought such musicality to the settings of the Mass.
How fortunate, too, were the soloists to be supported by such exquisite obbligati playing from the Sinfonia. The flutes and oboes were hauntingly beautiful, the trumpets festive and brash to enhance the choruses and there was fine continuo playing throughout this performance. Did the extreme cold affect some of the upper string playing in exposed passages, I wonder?
In moving forward under the confident baton of Richard Brain, the choir perhaps needs some more tenors and basses (many choirs do) so that the impact of entries and fugal passage work is more balanced, and the same can be said for the balance between some strident soprano singing and less confident alto parts. This choir is developing into a homogenous unit and will prosper. They will continue to be ambitious and the conductor will provide the challenge.
In summary, an uplifting and worthy performance of a crowning Baroque masterpiece and the hugest credit to the whole ensemble for producing a consistently high-quality concert filled with dance music to make J S Bach skip and jump for joy.

A Sprig of Thyme

Vanessa Calladine - a personal view 18th March 2017

As I entered the Methodist Church there was quiet, warm activity in preparation. This century old church is spacious, with brickwork and high ceilings affording a reasonable acoustic level of sound with no echo, which makes singing with clarity all important.
Richard Brain, Musical Director, has carried the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society through a journey of adventure and this concert exercises the choir’s voices in traditional English folk music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and John Rutter. Moving spirituals by Michael Tippett, 16th century madrigals by soloists and piano solos are a sensitive and varied programme for the advent of spring.

Since Robin Hood, composed by Thomas Weelkes, a light-hearted madrigal performed by a vibrant trio, began the concert. Turning next to Vaughan Williams’ Five English Folk Songs, sung a cappella, the bright, melodic voices found me humming to The Dark Eyed Sailor. The Lover’s Ghost transported me high above the clouds in reverie as sopranos soared above this well balanced choir. This song was surreal and particularly beautifully executed. Richard pointed out that Vaughan Williams has influenced future composers.
George Gershwin’s S’Wonderful, catchy lyrics by Ira, his brother, which some of us will remember from the musical Funny Face, was ably played by pianist Kate Macpherson accompanying the choir. During this familiar melody I was swaying side to side with enjoyment; one of my favourite styles of music. Cole Porter’s Begin the Beguine had the same effect.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Michael Tippett

Michael Tippett’s Five Spirituals was the star of the evening. These deeply moving songs were captured with absolute conviction, the intonation, emphasis and strength of feeling was conveyed with much emotion. Go Down, Moses has pain and suffering written all over it, sending shivers down my spine. Deep River filled the room with the time and place, a plea of hope, much more effectively than I have heard in a long while – a most humbling experience, this final spiritual bringing me to tears.
Excellently composed, excellently performed, a challenge for a large choir.

Following the interval we were treated to a madrigal in quartet then, with Richard directing while singing, a quintet along with Helen Strange, Liz Hill, Tom Castle and Adrian Hill. The soloists brought drama, sonorously delivered, with suitable emotion in voice as well as facial expression; very entertaining!
A beautiful performance, deftly interpreted by Kate, of The Lake in the Mountains by RVW (from the film ‘The 49th Parallel’) effectively conjured up the expansive pastoral scenes of Canada.
Eleven traditional British songs comprised The Sprig of Thyme, arranged by John Rutter in his familiar style. With piano accompaniment, these gentle songs were sung with expression; famous pieces such as I Know Where I’m Going, Willow Song, Down by the Sally Garden and The Cuckoo, my favourite here.
A charming end to a sometimes challenging selection was wonderfully sung with good diction, confidence and conviction.
Dedicated BSCS have risen to new heights under the baton of their young Musical Director, Richard Brain.

John Rutter

Benjamin Britten - Cantata Saint Nicolas

Oliver Bond 10th December 2016

Following last year’s successful performance of Bach's Christmas Oratorio with period orchestral instruments, Bishop's Stortford Choral Society opted to pair Britten's Cantata St Nicolas with Dvořák's Mass in D Major with the more modest resources of choir and organ at this December's performance. As well as the festive seasonal association with St Nicolas that made the choice of this cantata so appropriate, it is also highly fitting that the performance took place less than a week after the 40th anniversary of Britten’s untimely death.

Benjamin Britten

Following the cantata's mystical, brooding organ introduction, the bold entry from the choir was impeccably articulated with a refined, blended sonority – a feature worthy of note throughout this concert. This was soon followed by the animated and engaging performance of solo tenor, Richard Robbins. Clearly at home with the idiosyncratic twists and turns of Britten’s melodic writing, Robbins was highly adept at capturing the spirit of Eric Crozier's wonderful libretto to bring the narrative vividly to life for the audience. This attention to detail was mirrored ably by the choir, who brought out the subtleties of the text with good precision of diction and dynamic contrast. This appears to be a real focus of their conductor, Richard Brain, under whose expert direction the choir was able to combine much technical discipline and expressive finesse throughout the performance.

Despite the many challenges of performing Britten's music (although it was often composed with amateur musicians in mind), the choir showed great skill in rising above the complexities of the score to bring out the playful rhythms in 'The Birth of Nicolas' and textural contrast in 'He journeys to Palestine'. Following the captivating procession of robed treble choristers through the audience to represent the legendary 'Pickled Boys' coming back to life, the concert closed with 'The Death of Nicolas', an extremely moving unison choral rendition of the 'Nunc Dimittis' in counterpoint with Robbins' now aged St Nicolas, poignantly yielding himself to death. This was concluded with a congregational setting of 'God moves in a mysterious way' sung by choir and audience, carefully and encouragingly directed by Brain. Despite the absence of Britten's colourful orchestration of strings, percussion and piano, organist David Hinitt compensated for this with his imaginative registrations and sensitive accompanying.

Dvořák's Mass in D Major was originally commissioned for performance in the new private chapel of Lužany castle, scored for smaller choir and organ. This dignified, late-Romantic work contrasted well with the more frolicsome aspects of the earlier cantata. Even in the modest acoustics of the Methodist Church, the choir was able to evoke the sense of solemnity and grandeur that may have been present in the Lužany performance.
As with the opening of the cantata, the choir once again impressed with a warm, blended tone that gained gently in intensity through the Kyrie, before building to an impressive climatic choral tutti during the Gloria, all deftly supported throughout by Hinitt’s fine accompanying.

Antonín Dvořák

Despite being fewer in number, the tenor and bass section was an impressive match to the numerous upper voices during some of the more imitative passages of the Credo. Once again, the choir’s impressive diction was evident, particularly in the Sanctus. The Agnus Dei brought the performance to a moving close, with a beautifully restrained and well-shaped final cadence that left the audience in awed silence before erupting into enthusiastic applause.

We Are The Music Makers

Christopher Benham 21st May 2016

In a concert titled ‘We Are The Music Makers’ the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society together with Hertfordshire Philharmonia, soloists Helen Stanley and Nick Beever and under the baton of Richard Brain proved they were indeed music makers of the highest calibre in their splendid and uplifting concert. This was an evening to remember in a programme of music beginning with Brahms and ending with Elgar. From the onset the audience were treated to totally committed and refined performances.

The concert opened with Academic Festival Overture by Brahms. This was an opportunity for the orchestra to ‘stretch its legs’ and they gave a fine performance with impressive playing throughout. The crisp rhythms at the opening were balanced by warm sonorities in the more lyrical passages and this proved a rousing start to the proceedings, the Choral Society providing the ‘icing on the cake’ by joining the orchestra in the final section, just as the students had done in 1881 when the work received its first performance at the University in Breslau where Brahms was being awarded an honorary doctorate.

Next it was the turn of the Choral Society to take centre stage with four unaccompanied Motets by Anton Bruckner. These were well-shaped performances with dramatic intensity throughout characterised by a rich and warm tone, clear diction and carefully blended voice parts. This music perfectly suited the generous acoustics of the building and there was impressive dynamic contrast, and bright intonation.

The religious themes of the texts were sensitively judged and the strict musical demands made by the director were admirably met by this most accomplished choir – nowhere more evident than at the start of Ave Maria, a hymn to Mary, which was exquisitely executed, immaculate intonation and carefully tuned harmonies giving a beautiful and ethereal opening to this sequence.

The Five Mystical Songs by Vaughan Williams completed the first half with a most expressive interpretation by the excellent soloist Nick Beever, skilfully accompanied by the orchestra and choir. He gave full expression to the elusive and esoteric nature of the texts with moments of high-drama balanced with moments of extreme tenderness. The choir’s energetic and vibrant performance in the final Antiphon was met with equally enthusiastic applause by the appreciative audience.

Ralph Vaughan Williams

Edward Elgar

Elgar’s work of 1912 ‘The Music Makers’ formed the second part of the concert. Conductor, choir orchestra and soloist surpassed themselves here with an intensely moving performance. Again the colourful text - Arthur O’Shaughnessy’s Ode ‘we are the Music makers’ - was wonderfully brought to life and Richard Brain must be congratulated again for his skilful musical direction and sensitive handling of this highly-charged work. Helen Stanley was an inspired choice for the solo role and she gave a splendid performance, her radiant tone perfectly complementing choir and orchestra. There were so many high points both thrilling and poignant, but the last word should be given to the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society whose endeavour, musicianship and flair made this a performance that will live on in our minds for a long time to come. Many congratulations for a splendid evening of music making!

Bach's Christmas Oratorio

Richard Lewin 12th December 2015

J.S. Bach

JS Bach's Christmas Oratorio consists of six separate cantatas, each describing a period of the Christmas calendar. For this concert the four sections chosen reveal the events of the first Christmas Day and of Epiphany.

Under their excellent new Musical Director, Richard Brain, the work was performed in German, a bold choice which paid off by preserving the original relationship between the text and the music.

Further authenticity was provided by Musica Donum Dei, an orchestra who play on baroque instruments, giving a sound with a quality that Bach would have recognised. The brass and tympani in this Oratorio are always exciting, but there was wonderful solo and ensemble work in all sections.

As soloists the Society had engaged Emily Amour, soprano, Helen Stanley, mezzo soprano, Ruairi Bowen, tenor, and Bozidar Smiljanic, bass. They all sang with style and intensity. Remember their names because I'm sure you will hear of them again.

Richard Brain has clearly worked his choir hard; the attack was firm and precise, the words were clear and concentration was maintained throughout. The balance between the sections of the choir was good, helped by the sympathetic acoustics of the Methodist Church.

All the emotions of this great work, the joy, the fear, the quiet submission, the anger, were conveyed through a carefully worked interpretation, and the BSCS is to be congratulated on a fine achievement.

Mozart Requiem

Richard Lewin 20th June 2015

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

At an early stage of rehearsals for this concert the Society's Musical Director, David Boarder, was taken ill. They were very fortunate that their President, Christopher Bayston, was able to take up the baton, and a wonderful job he did. We were all delighted to see David sufficiently recovered to be singing among the basses.
The first piece, Welcome to all the Pleasures by Purcell was slightly nervous in the first few bars, but from then on the choir was in sparkling form, responding to their conductor's interpretation with sensitivity. The fine continuo playing of Christopher Benham gave strong support to the soloists, all of whom performed their difficult parts with precision and musical skill. We were fortunate to have heard during the evening Elinor Moran and Cathy Noble, sopranos, Olivia Ray, alto, Michael Bell, tenor and Augustus Perkins Ray, bass.
Next came Jesu, Priceless Treasure by J S Bach, sung with a quiet intensity which overcame the difficult acoustics of the venue.
The Requiem Mass by Mozart has been sung by the Choral Society on previous occasions, but they can never have sung it better than they did this time, with nearly all eyes on the conductor and with a fully justified confidence in their own abilities. The Stortford Sinfonia, led by Helen Cass, made a huge contribution to the success of the evening. The reputation of the choir should be more widely known.

Bishop's Stortford Choral Society makes light work of Haydn's Creation

Nathan Collins 29th February 2012

Joseph Haydn

Last Saturday’s performance of Haydn’s Creation was both mesmerising and arresting. The Stortford Sinfonia, securely led by Helen Cass, accompanied the Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society and soloists under the expert baton of David Boarder.
We enjoyed wonderful choruses from the choir. Light broke forth on the First Day, with a glorious C major chord setting the tone for this deeply religious yet accessible work. The Heavens are Telling went off like a rocket with the angelic choir delivering all the joy shared by God’s unseen Heavenly Host.
The Lord is Great followed suit and Achieved is the Glorious Work was true to its words: a vivid depiction of a job well done by the Creator.
Soprano Elinor Jane Moran made her mark with soaring top notes on the Second Day painting the picture of God’s creation of the heights of heaven with tenor Andrew Philips calmly narrating Moses’ famous throw away line: “He also made the stars”. Philips connected with the audience at every stage whilst Moran danced effortlessly through sustained melismatic passages. Jamie Hall (Adam) gave us a treat of rich bass tones and expressed an empathy with both the audience and Moran (Eve).
The orchestra confidently handled the work with precision and finesse. The woodwind displayed exquisite ensemble and pristine intonation. Brass and timpani handled each passage with well controlled tone and sensitively measured weight. A fine horn section held their pitch without falter. Notably the strings captured delightfully the intimacy between man, woman and the rest of creation.
The choir, soloists and orchestra clearly relished every moment of this sublime piece. I was certainly inspired and believe there is space for a few more tenors in the choral society if anyone would like to join me…

Two hundred voices singing as one

Two hundred singers from four local choirs joined voices for a mass rehearsal ahead of their performance of Carl Orff’s cantata Carmina Burana later this month. Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society, Royston Choral Society, Broxbourne Chorus and East Herts Youth Choir came together at the United Reformed Church Hall in Stortford as they prepare to stage the German composer’s greatest work on Saturday, June 16.

They were joined by soprano Lina Saavedra, tenor Stephen Douse, baritone Terence den Dulk plus 70 musicians from the Stortford Sinfonia, conducted by David Boarder.

Source: Herts & Essex Observer, 7/6/2012

The concert at Wodson Park in Ware will also include performances of Parry’s Blest Pair of Sirens, which was performed at least year’s Royal wedding and two orchestral pieces, Bernstein’s overture Candide and Adams’ Short Ride in a Fast Machine.

Taking on Rossini with great spirit and strength

Paul Burrell 9th December 2011

Gioachino Rossini

The programme of music performed by the Bishop's Stortford Choral Society at Water Lane United Reformed Church was an exciting choice.
The evening got off to an impressive start with O Thou Central Orb for choir and organ by Charles Wood. The choir made an excellent first entry and were extremely strong throughout, achieving good dynamic contrasts. The eight basses and eight tenors more than made up for their lack of numbers by good strength and tone.
The choice of Seek Him That Maketh The Seven Stars by Jonathan Dove was ambitious but very worthwhile. A lovely mesmeric introduction on the organ led to some very effective layering of choral parts. The choir performed this music with genuine commitment. It was nice to hear a comtemporary choral piece which neither pandered to banal taste nor baffled the audience.
The heart of the programme was the Petite Messe Solonnelle by Rossini.
Rossini was one of a number of composers who turned their hand from writing opera to composing large scale liturgical works. There are strong similarities in the drama of both. One would expect liturgical works to be more austere but this is not always the case. Rossini stated that this work was 'the final sin of my old age'. The truth is that the mass is neither 'petite' (small) nor 'solonnelle' (solemn).
The choir sang the opening Kyrie with great assurance. It was not long, however, before Rossini's comic opera credentials featured in his writing. And there were wonderful moments of sacred lightness.
The Gloria also had a strong opening and this was followed by some lovely contrasts between the choir and the soloists, Elinor Jane Moran, Pamela Clarke, Daniel Joy and Adrian Hill. I particularly enjoyed the performance of Daniel Joy in the Domine Deus. The Choir sang the Cum Sancto Spiritu with great spirit and strength.
Given that this performance followed Rossini's original scoring for choir, piano and harmonium, it was especially important that the choral sections achieved the required contrasts. The Credo had greta sensitivity and I was most impressed by the vigour of the fugue Et Iterum Venturus. This was performed with real vigour and clarity.
Whilst the choir struggles with the a capella Sanctus, the Agnus Dei had a good sense of purpose building up to an excellent finale. A great deal of credit must go to David Boarder (Musical Director), not only for the choice of programme, but also for directing it with his usual wit and enthusiasm!