CONCERT REVIEW

Valentine Singers

St Gabriel’s Church, Aldersbrook

Saturday 12 November 2011

Valentine Singers chose music from England and Austria at St Gabriel’s Church, Aldersbrook, presenting a varied programme of works by Britten, Bruckner and Tallis among others.

The concert opened with Charles Wood’s Oculi omnium, sung from the back of the church, and this was followed by Thomas Tallis’s Canon. While singing the Canon the choir processed to the front, using both sides of the church, resulting in a magical surround-sound effect for the audience. The first half of the concert continued with two wonderful performances of Bruckner motets, Ave Maria and Locus iste, which were full of expressive and well-controlled singing. Haydn’s Little Organ Mass closed the first half. This short Mass is a delight both to sing and listen to and the Valentine Singers did not disappoint. Special congratulations go to soprano Clare Gailans for her first class solo in the Benedictus.

Benjamin Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb opened the second half – a rather eccentric work which the Singers performed with great skill, save a slight lack of incisiveness in the rhythmically complex second section. I am a big fan of Geoffrey Burgon’s works, but feel that his Nunc Dimittis needed a trumpet part in order to provide some contrast in sound and texture.

Frances, Emma and Peter Quintrell, Audrey Cassidy, Anthony Harrison and Andrew Taylor sang solo parts – all of them should feel proud of their contribution. The excellent David Sheppard was organist for the evening, and as usual the skills of conductor Christine Gwynn resulted in an enjoyable evening.

John Buckmaster

Rejoice! It's nearly Saturday

Really looking forward to this!

Concert Review of Judas Maccabaeus

This review was submitted to The Ilford Recorder but did not make the issue for W/E 10.04.11

As with most works by Handel, his oratorio Judas Maccabaeus oozes quality. The performance by Valentine Singers in the comfortable surroundings of St Gabriel's Church, Aldersbrook matched that quality from beginning to end.

Handel sets the scene with an overture and then continues to tell the audience the story of the second century B.C. Maccabean revolt through a series of recitatives, airs and choruses. Of the five fine soloists Jane Streeton and Paul Sheehan stood out with their assured delivery and unfailing quality.

The Jericho Ensemble was also excellent throughout.Wonderfully crisp and responsive, they laid a sure foundation for the soloists and chorus.

Valentine Singers is a fine choir - from their sensitive opening chorus to the joyous final Hallelujah, Amen (sung from memory) they displayed all that is good about choral singing, and their commitment and professionalism was evident right through this long, taxing oratorio. Conductor Christine Gwynn is not one to shirk a challenge - all credit to her for again bringing a major work to Redbridge, and with such style.

The next Valentine Singers concert - Music from Stage and Screen - takes place on Saturday 2nd July in Barnardos Church, Barkingside - pencil it in your diary!

John Buckmaster

Interesting concert

Some news from Laura Pease of a concert which VS members might be intrested in


Thursday evening at St Martin in the Field
American choral music including both versions of 'O nata lux', Songs and Sonnets and 'Sure on This Shinng Night' amongst other short items by other US composers

Tickets still available at St Martins web site stmartin-in-the-field.org


Thanks Laura

Samuel (Sure on this shining night) Barber

Not sure if anybody realised that 2010 is the centenary of Samuel Barbers birth. There is an interesting article about his life and music in today's Guardian (19th November) by the British pianist Leon McCawley
You can read it at http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/nov/18/samuel-barber

Over the moon with singers’ night shift

Valentine Singers were in nocturnal mood at Barnados Church on Saturday with a programme of music and words focused around the theme of night.

Nocturne included a cappella and accompanied vocal music, piano solos, and readings by members of the choir.

The varied items explored aspects of the night – its atmosphere, sounds and colours – as well as some of its more illicit activities, as in Kipling’s familiar poem, A Smuggler’s Song, expressively read by Pat Pretious.

Musical director Christine Gwynn drew well-controlled performances out of her singers, particularly with the lush harmonies of part songs by Elgar, Barnby and Sullivan, where tuning and blend were at their best.

A set of six vocal Nocturnes by Mozart showed off the choir’s potential for drama, charting the phases of a passionate love affair with plenty of vocal colour and dynamic range, as well as attention to the Italian diction, which was commendably clear. This was also notable in the choir’s delightful rendering of Vecchi’s Fa una canzona, which opened the concert.

Among the readings, I particularly enjoyed The Night Mail, W. H. Auden’s word-picture of the mail train’s journey with its precious cargo of letters. (Hard to imagine anyone writing a similar poem about The E-Mail!)

Soprano Clare Gailans and pianist Tim Smith gave a spacious and compelling performance of Britten’s Nocturne from On this Island.

And, for me, the Highlight of a pleasing evening’s entertainment was Smith’s eloquent account of Debussy’s Clair de Lune. It transported me from a hard pew and a damp chilly Ilford into the ravishing French moonlight.

MANDY BENTLEY - ILFORD RECORDER

Reviews of other concerts can be seen here www.valentinesingers.org/rev.html

The first outing of our promotional banner

on the grass area outside Barnardos Church