Entertainment

Autumn Concert - Rossini (Petite Messe Solonnelle) and Respighi (Laud to the Nativity)

Presumably because it is the season of advent, the Croydon Bach Choir under the silky baton of Tim Horton gave us Ottorino Respighi's 'Laud to the Nativity'.

And what better place to sing it than under the spacious dome of St Mildred's Church. The Choir chose to sing in Italian where the words fit effortlessly into the music rather than in an English translation resembling an ill made suit.

lt was composed in 1930, based on a 13th Century poem and is a beautiful pastoral cantata depicting the birth of Jesus. The work uses madrigals and plain chant to evoke an ancient simplicity while incorporating modern harmonies.

The gentle, pastorale elegance of the choral singing, faithfully reflected the composer's intentions and the final amens (so be it) brought it to a hushed conclusion.

Rossini's 'Petite Messe Solonnelle' is neither small, solemn nor liturgical and betrays the composer's operatic genius. The soloist Belinda Evans (soprano) has an outstanding voice and gave us a passionate 'Crucifixus'.

The 'Gratias agimus tibi' (We give thanks) was beautifully sung by Vanessa Heine (mezzo-soprano), James Edwards (tenor) and Julian Empett (baritone) and 'Qui Tollis' by the two ladies.

I was moved when the choir sang 'The Credo', combined beautifully with the soloists and then gave us a peaceful 'Agnus Dei' (Lamb of God).

William Monks at the piano has clearly mastered the art of accompaniment and I found quiet enjoyment in his playing of 'Preludio religioso' with Martin Hogben at the organ.

Summer Concert - Opera Choruses, Piano Duets and Trial by Jury (Concert Performance)

St Matthew's Church, Chichester Road, Park Hill, Croydon

Performed on Saturday 25th June 2011 at 7.30pm

An eclectic concert was held held by the Croydon Bach Choir, performing pieces around 150 years later than the time of their eponymous composer.

The rather short, 40-minute first half of this concert gave us a collection of rousing and recognisable opera choruses such as the Triumphal scene from Verdi's Aida, the Easter Hymn from Cavalleria Rusticana and the Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves.

While the programme claimed that extracts sung in English were easier to understand, it might have been better to have heard it sung in the original language. However, perhaps to sing in Russian (used in the Polovtsian dances) was an ask too far. Two piano duets played by the conductor, Tim Horton and the accompanist, Wiliam Monks were a welcome contrast.

The second half of the concert consisted of Trial by Jury, a one-act comic opera. Although the plot is ludicrous, the narrative bursts the pomposity of hypocrisy and shows the base motives of those in authority.

The singing relied upon a number of solo parts, which were performed with gusto and enthusiasm by members of the choir.

Verdi Requiem

St Mildred's Church, Bingham Road, Addiscombe, Croydon

Performed on Saturday 26th March 2011 at 7.30pm

Tim Horton the conductor is to be congratulated on attempting a work as daunting as Verdi’s Requiem. This piece which has been described as an opera dressed in church vestments, demands musical ability from soloists, choir and orchestra in no small measure but Horton’s tall figure on the podium exuded calm control in the delicate, the unaccompanied, and the fiery moments.

The baroque surroundings of St. Mildred’s Church soothed and stimulated us, the audience as we listened to this Verdi masterpiece on the Day of Judgement, between avenging angels, and fervently praying penitents. This was as dramatic as any of his operatic scenes. Surprising in a way because Verdi was an agnostic but he wrote this requiem in memory of his friend the Italian poet Manzoni.

The soloists, Soprano Belinda Evans, Mezzo Soprano Melanie Lodge, Tenor James Edwards, and Bass Julian Empett, performed at the highest level and James Edwards a last minute substitute had the clearest diction and full throated style that this music required. They were magnificent as a quartet in ’Domine Jesu’ (Lord Jesus Christ) and in ‘Rex Tremendae’ (King tremendous).

The Croydon Bach Choir excelled in the unaccompanied parts and produced an electrifying ‘Dies Irae’ (Day of Wrath). The Croydon Bach Orchestra, under its Leader Glensi Roberts, came into its own with the trumpets sounding in the opening of the ‘Sanctus’ (Holy). The choir finished this section with a rousing ‘Hosanna in Excelsis’ (Hosanna in the highest) and if they were occasionally drowned by the orchestra it was I felt the fault of Verdi.

Poulenc - Gloria
Durufle - Requiem

St Mary Magdalene with St Martin's Church, Canning Road, Addiscombe, Croydon

Performed on Saturday 27th November 2010 at 7.30pm

A respectable number of patrons braved one of the coldest nights of the year to hear the Croydon Bach Choir attempt an ambitious programme of two pieces by French contemporaries, Poulenc and Durufle.

Poulenc's Gloria, here played with piano accompaniment, consists of 6 movements based on the Catholic Gloria in excelsis text. The piece started uncertainly but quickly became more confident. Laudamus Te proved an energetic and upbeat interlude. The soprano solos in the Domine Deus and Agnus Dei were strong and well-sung however, there were some problems of balance in the final movement when the tenors predominated.

The second piece, Durufle's Requiem was a more atmospheric undertaking. The choir's usual conductor Tim Horton provided a confident underpinning performance on the organ, while the baritone, Julian Empett took turns at conducting and singing and this worked very well. The Domine Jesu Christe was particularly well sung by the choir.

A mention should be given to the building. St Mary's Church (built late 1860s) is a barn of a church and at times, the choir's efforts seemed to have floated upwards into the (very cold) ether. A smaller concert hall may have helped to create a slightly cosier feeling on such an icy night. Overall, well done for trying two difficult pieces, rather than 'playing safe'.

Hiawatha's Wedding Feast

St Matthew's Church, East Croydon

Performed on Saturday 26th June 2010 at 7.30pm

Croydon Bach Choir, under the benign guidance of conductor Tim Horton and pianist William Munks, began this concert with Vaughan William's beautiful "Serenade to Music", based on the discussion on music by Lorenzo in Act five, Scene one, of the Merchant of Venice. This version had four solists from within the choir, which indicates the depth of talent among its members.

Adam Tunnicliffe (tenor) gave us songs by Finzi and Britten and an outstanding one by Bridge "When You Are Old".

Rebecca Watts (violin) and Tim Horton (piano) played a precise and elegant "The Lark Ascending" by Vaughan Williams. Inspired by a poem by George Meredith, the composer finely portrays the lark both in flight and in song.

After the interval the violin soloist sparkled with No's. 2 and 3 from Coleridge-Taylor's "Four African Dances".

Hiawatha's Wedding Feast is part of the American poet Longfellow's great poem of that name, and which Samuel Coleridge-Taylor set to music. The choir sang this lyrical feast with great feeling and tenor Adam Tunnicliffe gave a rousing "Onaway! Awake beloved".

Up to the Second World War this piece rivalled in popularity with Handel's "Messiah" and Mendelssohn's "Elijah" but subsequently has faded. After this delightful performance perhaps its time has come again.

St Mildred's Church, Bingham Road, Addiscombe

Performed on Saturday, 27th March, 2010 at 7.30pm

This mass by J S Bach is described as monumental and at two hours long required stamina of a high order - and Croydon Bach Choir had it in abundance.

There were many moments of significance after the Choir opened with the Kyrie eleison to give a meaningful Gloria in Excelsis.

Elizabeth Cragg soprano was uplifting with the aria Laudamus te and the duet between her and the tenor Ashley Catling in Domine Deus would calm any troubled soul. Meanwhile, the Choir's Cum Sancto Spiritu brought the first half to a glorious end.

The duet in Et in unum Dominum of the soprano and the alto Polly Jeffries was beautifully sung as was bass soloist Richard Collier's moving aria Et in Spiritum Sanctum.

The Choir's Hosanna in excelsis was excellent and to finish wih Dona nobis pacem (grant us thy peace) seemed suitable just before Holy Week.

Conductor Tim Horton wielded a gentle baton but had firm control of the Choir and Orchestra under its leader Rebecca Watts.