Article from Henley Standard of
4th January, 2008
Choir's programme was
delightful and
eclectic
The strains of plain-chant from the back of the church, singing about
the birth of a
boy in
Bethlehem — such was the opening
of
Goring Chamber Choir's Christmas concert
at St. Thomas's Church on the Thursday
before Christmas.
Singing
from memory, the choir processed
up the aisle and then presented us
with a
delightful and eclectic programme of Christmas music. Several of the old
favourites
were there, but interspersed with some unusual and interesting
arrangements of
well-known words.
The
Canadian composer Eleanor Daley's
setting
of the ancient carol Balulalow was
for
women's voices, and brought out the
best of
the soprano and alto section. The
tenors
and basses were also in fine form, and particularly effective when
muted, as
in the
beautiful arrangement of Michael
Head's
The Little Road to Bethlehem.
Christmas isn't Christmas without John Rutter, and the evening's Rutter
offering
was an
unusual and captivating choice. Child
in the Manger
was sung
beautifully, accompanied with her
usual light touch by Janet Pound, who also delighted us with two
delicate solo
pieces.
The
piano also enhanced the lyrical A
Maiden most gentle,
with
its exuberant descant.
In contrast, Lesley Lambert offered us a sweet and gentle solo in Max
Reger's The
Virgin's slumber song.
The
choir gave a lively rendition of Joubert's
spirited carol Torches, accompanied in
fine style by Michael Howell at the
organ, who also led us in the congregational carols. These too were an unusual selection,
thoughtfully chosen, although it was sometimes hard to follow the choral lead, as in
Joy to the World.
As
the words of one of the readings told
us 'It
is the work of Christmas
...
to make
music in the heart.' After a rather tentative
rendition of We wish you a Merry
Christmas
the
choir redeemed itself with a jolly version
of Jingle Bells, to
send us into the night with 'the work of Christmas' well under way!
Liz
Rapple
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