Concert Notes from Margaret Henry

Having retired from conducting in March this year, and finding myself at a loose end, I was really delighted when Corsham Choral Society asked me if I would take them on for a concert on 20^th November and a Christmas Soiree in December.   I was given a real welcome from the singers at my first rehearsal and immediately felt at home.    I was lucky to have Rhiannon Milner as accompanist throughout.

Although a large part of the repertoire for this concert had already been chosen I was able to include a couple of my own favourites, Byrd’s “Ave Verum Corpus” , and Bach’s” Jesu Priceless Treasure” with which we started the concert.   I was very pleased with the choir’s performance of these two works, as they were both chamber music and the choir had to respond to the requirement for very quiet, controlled singing.   The singers were very responsive at the performance.

The Purcell “Te Deum” which followed was another work which required controlled singing, and some special ability from the semi-chorus   It went particularly well . To round off the first half we sang another “Ave Verum Corpus” this time by Mozart.   This piece has been in the choir’s repertoire for some time and they sang it with complete assurance.

The Haydn “Te Deum” with which we started the second half, and the Messiah choruses were much more choral society repertoire and were handled with enthusiasm.   Their beautiful singing of Bach’s “O little one sweet” rounded off a very enjoyable concert.   The professional playing of the young group of brass players, Brass Pins, in the first and second half added an exciting and different note to a satisfying evening.

Margaret Henry