Conductor Cathal Garvey’s stated aim was “to give the choir members and guest singers and also the audience a sense of the huge range of experience and emotion that singing and listening to choral music can afford”. Having attended part of the afternoon rehearsal and the concert itself, as well as picking up on comments from singers and audience members, I feel confident that his aim was achieved.
Steve Bowey at the St Nicolas organ provided all the accompaniment, often doing the job of a full orchestra through his hands and feet on keyboards and pedals and using a large range of organ stops.
Starting the concert with Handel’s Zadok the Priest, with the long organ lead-in, brought the audience to a state of expectant excitement, as all eyes focused on the conductor to indicate the explosion of the first word.
Uplifting for all occasions and not just coronations, this work set the scene for an exciting evening, which continued to the final item of the concert, Handel’s Hallelujah Chorus.
The choir of 250 voices - 110 from Newbury Choral Society and 140 guest singers - performed a total of 22 pieces representing some of the best-known and loved compositions for choirs. Brahms, Mozart, Fauré, Haydn, Bach, Mendelssohn, Bruckner, Vivaldi, Rachmaninov, Parry and Verdi were all there in various forms conveying a cocktail of emotions, as each item brought changes of mood, volume and tone.
Professional soprano soloist Emma Johnston sang Bach and Handel arias and was joined at the beginning of part 2 by Choral Society members tenor Jeremy Wright and bass Greg Choules, for a well-balanced trio section in the choir’s performance of Haydn’s The Heavens are Telling.
Conducting, playing, singing and witnessing such a wide range of music demands considerable stamina. The audience applauded resoundingly! Even after a 12-hour day of rehearsing and performing, the participants appeared tireless and exuberant, never losing sight of the requirement for a thoroughly sensitive performance of all the works. This was a huge and valuable experience for performers and audience alike.
