|
| 145th Season |
Britten ~ Ceremony of Carols
Vaughan Williams ~ Fantasia on Christmas Carols
Carols for Choir & Audience
Derby Cathedral, 18th. December, 2010
Conducted by Richard Dacey |
 |
|
| Review by Mike Wheeler: |
Terrific gusto
Derby Choral Union’s Christmas offering brought together two classics of the English Christmas repertoire, Britten’s A Ceremony of Carols and Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols.
The Britten was performed in Julius Harrison’s surprisingly successful SATB version. What the performance lacked in polish it made up for in spirit; ‘This Little Babe’ came off with terrific gusto.
Omitting the opening and concluding plainsong (which can still be sung even when the choir isn’t actually processing in and out) was a strange decision, though, which rather undermined the ceremony aspect of the title.
|
Harpist Tanya Houghton played with great flair and sensitivity; her account of the Interlude was simply mesmerising. The Vaughan Williams was less successful. The Cathedral organ developed a cipher right at the beginning, getting the performance off to a shaky start from which it never fully recovered.
South African baritone Njabulo Madlala gave a fine, resonant account of the solo part, coming into his own in his three solo numbers in Part 2 of the concert, including a traditional Xhosa lullaby which was a real show-stopper.
Everyone seems to have been singing Gaudete this year. The Choral Union’s performance had real spirit.
Mike Wheeler
Derby Telegraph,
24th. December, 2010 |
| Here is some feeback from members of the audience: |
Yes, we did make it into Derby on Saturday [in spite of the bad weather], and what a wonderful voice Njabulo had - we could have listened all night!
I personally am not a great fan of Britten's music, but it was beautifully sung.
Regards
Ann Barry
My wife and I thought the harpist Tanya Houghtonmade a beautiful sound. The baritone Njabulo Madlala was superb - we would have liked to see him in ‘Porgy & Bess’.
Tom Corfield coped well with the odd gremlins in the organ to |
produce his usual fine performance.
A special mention must be made about Ffion Davies a talent emerging. Gabrielle Motley also sang well in spite of a cold.
The programme itself was very suitable for the season. We enjoyed singing along in the second half although we are not good enough for the choir (can’t sight read music).
Well done to Richard Dacey for pulling it all together.
Merry Christmas and a successful New Year to all the choir.
David & Ann Capel (Friends of DCU) |
|
|
| Artists |
Njabulo Madlala
Baritone
Tanya Houghton
Harp
Ffion Davies
soprano
Gabrielle Motley
soprano |
|
|
|
