Chepstow Choral Society completed their 2007/2008 programme with a rousing Festival Concert at Chepstow Leisure Centre on Saturday July 12th.
Carl Orff’s “Carmina Burana” is a demanding piece for any Choral Society to perform, and it is to Chepstow Choral Society’s great credit that they were able to accomplish this performance with considerable achievement. The “two pianos and percussion” version, which is the common one used by smaller societies , loses nothing in its intensity and excitement, -- the full orchestral version now being financially beyond the range of most smaller choral societies. From the audience reaction to this performance, the concert was a huge musical success, and yet another milestone for Chepstow Choral Society, who are delighted to be able to present such programmes to music lovers in Chepstow and surrounding areas.
Choir, percussion and soloists all gave of their best. The percussion component, assembled by Adrian Evans, was superb, and the four players brought all their experience and expertise into full play. The sheer amount of equipment involved was greeted with amazement by many in the audience but the fact that the players did not drown out the choir or pianists illustrated the high quality of their playing. The two pianists, Marjorie Duerden and Rosalind Taylor, shouldered a large burden and played beautifully as a team, coping admirably with the high demands of this work. The three soloists, Hannah Atherton (soprano), Sebastian Field (counter-tenor) and Henry Neil (baritone) were all from Gloucester Cathedral School, and all of them acquitted themselves with some fine performances in some difficult and technically demanding solo work.
The choir excelled themselves – this is not a work where the choir can sit back and coast along! For many in Chepstow Choral Society it was their first experience of singing this work, and it is to the great credit of Graham Bull, the Society’s Musical Director, that he was able to weave together the chorus input , percussion and pianos with such tremendous vitality. The choir attacked this work with great zest and enthusiasm, which showed through in the performance and were wonderfully assisted by percussionists and pianists.
The programme was completed by a selection of Johannes Brahms’ Liebeslieder. These were beautifully performed by choir and pianists alike, and it was obvious that a great deal of attention to detail had taken place. Deceptively easy, this work needs sensitivity and great contrast to illustrate its fine points, and this performance was one which in no small way achieved a great deal. The balance of choir and the two pianists worked excellently and an overall highly musical performance was the result.
Chepstow Choral Society once again arrives at the end of another successful season and wishes to record its thanks to Musical Director Graham Bull, the music committee and the general committee for the imaginative programming which has brought to Chepstow this year works by Dvorak, Vaughan Williams, Faure, Brahms and Orff!
The Choir is now taking a well-earned summer break. Rehearsals will resume on Wednesday September 3rd at Chepstow Leisure Centre. If you are interested in becoming a singing member, please contact Marjorie Duerden (tel. 01291 623310) for more details about the musical schedule and membership information. Chepstow Choral Society welcomes new singing members – particularly sopranos, tenors and basses. A choral society can not function without singers!
The next concert will be the annual Christmas Music presentation. This year it will take place at St Mary’s Church on Saturday December 13th, with Lindsay Kidd (soprano) and the choir of Wyedean School as guests for the evening.
|
|
Press Coverage![[External link in new window] Valid CCS!](/images/vcss.gif){kind=small}