Concert Reviews
Bristol Choral Society
Choral society turns in a masterful performance
FOR the first time for a while Bristol Choral Society changed from their annual Christmas performance of Handel's Messiah to another masterpiece - Bach's The Christmas Oratorio.The work is really six cantatas covering the services that begin with Christmas Day and end on Epiphany (January 6th). The themes covered include the birth of Jesus, the shepherds in the fields, the naming of Jesus and the Magi from the East. The first three parts covering the three days of Christmas and the sixth were performed.
The chorus opened with a rousing rendition of Triumph, rejoicing before the Evangelist introduces the Christmas story with And In Those Days. As is the custom nowadays a countertenor takes the alto role and Sebastian Field gave a fine performance in his various arias, especially Prepare Thyself Zion. He was however a lot stronger in the higher regions of the voice.
Chorales were written to enable congregations to join in church service singing and Martin Luther (1483-1546) wrote simple devotional words to tunes familiar either as folk songs or plainsong chants and this work contains many harmonised by Bach.
Beautifully sung by the choir with great expression they were the mainstay of the oratorio and the well-known Lenten hymn O Sacred Head Now Wounded is used twice, with different words, in four-part harmony and then in a full-blown version in the final chorus Now are ye well avenged where the large choir were in great form.
The irrepressible Mark Padmore was superb as the Evangelist showing all the experience he has gained over the years with immaculate voice control. Helen-Jane Howells (soprano) was at her best in her main aria, But a wave of his own hand, whilst Ashley Riches (bass) had a strong voice in all his items.
Adrian Partington, with the excellent baroque Coreili orchestra, conducted the whole performance with his usual aplomb.
JOHN PACKWOOD
DECEMBER 2011
9/10
"Concert triple treat"
…In turn the Bristol Ensemble, clarinettist Emma Johnson and Bristol Choral Society took centre stage and made the most of the wonderful opportunities the music offered them… Under leader Roger Huckle, the Bristol Ensemble were first in the field obviously thoroughly enjoying the freedom offered by the exuberant overture.
It seems hardly creditable that it was 27 years ago when Emma Johnson was declared BBC Young Musician of the Year. The range of tone she found to fully develop the concerto underlined once again her mastery of this instrument, and the joy her controlled passionate playing gives to the listener.
Having watched their conductor, Adrian Partington, show his skills in handling orchestral works the choir then rose, joined by soloists soprano Charlotte Newstead, mezzo soprano Rebecca Chellappah, tenor Philip Sheffield, and bass Nicholas Perfect to take centre stage with Mozart's unfinished Requiem Mass…[and] responded readily to their conductor’s instructions….
GERRY PARKER
October 2011
8/10
"The beautiful setting of the cathedral, with the sun shining through the stained glass windows, was a perfect place for the final concert of the society's successful and varied season...
A large audience was treated to a splendid programme of Baroque masterpieces by Bach and Handel. Bach wrote many Cantatas but only six motets. Mozart, when he first encountered them, was said to have exclaimed "Here is something one can learn from". Praise indeed!
The last two were chosen starting with No 6 which is in two parts. The sopranos excelled with the arpeggios in the earlier section before the quieter movement built up to the powerful Alleluia.
The penultimate motet Komm, Jesu, komm is rather a sad piece depicting personal death. The choir gave a very moving performance conveying all the pathos contained within the music with great clarity throughout.
After the interval Handel's exuberant Dixit Dominus, where the influence of Vivaldi is evident in the vivid harmonies, produced choral singing which was crisp and precise. The orchestra played with real verve and the soloists, especially Hannah Atherton with her pure tone in Tecim Principium, were uplifting.
Adrian Partington was the excellent conductor throughout and kept the large choir of more than 150 voices well under control."
JOHN PACKWOOD
June 2011
Bristol Choral Society: Classical music meets Hollywood drama...
"This was an exceptional evening in more ways than one. The programme promised three outstanding pieces of classical music written by British composers between 1912 and 1917; the grim days of World War One. Holst’s The Hymn of Jesus, Vaughn Williams’ The Lark Ascending and finally Elgar’s The Music Makers. All pretty exciting and dramatic pieces in their own right. But before a note was sounded, an entirely different drama was being played out elsewhere."
ANDREW BATTEN FOSTER
"With his usual imaginative programming, Adrian Partington presented a journey through English church music covering works from the 13th century right up to the present time.
Two pieces from the Worcester Fragments were a powerful opening...
Skipping two centuries, we then encountered well-known composers of the 16th, Tallis with the delectable If You Love Me amnd Gibbons' lively O Clap Your Hands among the items chosen. The delicate and expressive singing of the choir came to the fore in this particular group before the power of Purcell's I Was Glad led up to a wonderful and inspiring rendition of the mighty Coronation Anthem, then Handel's Zadok The Priest. Here it was noticeable how well the conductor had drilled each section.
The 19th century selection began with Mendelssohn's most popular short choral piece Hear My Prayer. This masterpiece contains a long soprano solo with the choir merely providing a backing. The soloist was the talented Josephine Goddard, an 18-year-old Bristol Grammar School student, who gave a riveting and professional performance.
In the popular section Oh For The Wings Of A Dove, Josephine produced high notes of quality. All together this was a most moving rendition worthy of the enthusiastic applause.
After this, Wesley's Thou Wilt Keep Him and two works by Stanford gave the choir a chance of some softer singing, which they managed very successfully.
The modern composers were represented by Vaughan Williams' powerful Antiphon and Tavener's unusual piece God Is With Us.
Peter King played two contrasting organ pieces including Howells' Paen, which covered many different styles.
The excellent Adrian Partington controlled his forces with great skill and the choir obviously enjoyed this challenging programme. "
JOHN PACKWOOD
June 2010
"I have just returned home after spending the evening at the Colston Hall for the Bristol Choral Society's (BCS) ˜Bristol Sings” in aid of Brace and Julian Trust Night Shelter and would like to say how utterly superb a night's entertainment it was and what a fabulous job BCS have done. I didn't want it to end. The orchestra was exceptional, the soloists flawless and the chorus, well, they looked like they enjoyed it more than the audience, which even I, as a downright Philistine, felt absolutely exhilarated by. Many, many thanks to everyone who gave up their time, organising the event and taking part."
JOANNE BROWN
Evening Post
June 2009
"Adrian Partington led the 150-strong choir through Rachmaninov's Vespers with a confidence that made the task of singing it appear comparatively easy"
GERRY PARKER
Evening Post
March 2009
"The lyricism and romance associated with Mendelssohn’s music is still to be heard throughout the oratorio. Conductor Adrian Partington was never afraid to allow these qualities to show through in the choral singing and the choir changed moods readily under his guidance. Three members of the choir – Stephanie Spragg, soprano; Margaret Johnstone, soprano; and Angela Read, alto – made telling contributions as angels."
GERRY PARKER
Evening Post
Nov 2009
