Past Concerts  - featuring reviews from The Henley Standard and the Reading Chronicle

All British......

A Very English Christmas

Saturday 17th at 7.30pm and Sunday 18th December at 2.30pm, at Chiltern Edge school

In this concert all the pieces we are singing are by living, English composers!

Rutter's Gloria was written when Rutter was 29 years old, for his first visit to the United States.  Rutter uses traditional Latin text, and the piece achieves exultation, devotion and jubilation.  The brass accompaniment with timpani, percussion and organ make a joyful noise! (Acknowledging www.johnrutter.com)

The Four Songs of the Nativity, by Howard Blake were first performed and conducted by Howard Blake in 1990.  This mediaeval song cycle sounded delightful then in St Paul's Cathedral.  We hope to do it justice in Chiltern Edge Hall!

Other English composers are represented by: Bob Chilcott, Philip Lane, ALan Smith, Richarx Rodney Bennett, Alan Bullard (composer our our own commissioned work Edward Lear), John Gardner.

Concert with feel-good factor

South Chiltern Choral Society shared their summer concert at Highdown School with the Tetra Guitar Quartet and both succeeded at off-setting the bleak July weather outside. It was a real “feel-good” concert with SCCS focused on the choir’s choice of favourite songs from musicals in the Thirties and Forties ably supported by the Trevor Defferd trio of bass, piano and percussion.

The songs were adapted into the choral format by Gwyn Arch from songs written for one or two voices. This is, by its very nature, a bold undertaking, risking as it does the loss of the directness and clarity of the originals, and it is a credit to Gwyn Arch’s arrangements and to SCCS who kept the sharpness and focus allowing the multilayers possible with a choir to come through in a smooth and relaxed performance. In many cases the rendering of the songs surpassed those of some years ago! I particularly enjoyed Night And Day and Begin The Beguine.

The guitar quartet’s selection, which alternated with sets of songs from the choir and extended to more than half the concert, included adaptations by Stephen Goss of works from Mahler to Bizet by way of Kurt Weil and Erik Satie. The format gave scope for the entrancing development and elaboration of each aspect of the music as it was taken up by other members of the quartet. The Satie and the Mahler were particularly evocative whereas the Carmen resonated with the guitarist’s delight in portraying familiar tunes. This approach is very intimate and was most appreciated by those lucky enough to be seated close to them. 

The concert ended on a high note with the choir, the quartet and the trio combining, led by Trevor Defferd with Gwyn Arch on the piano, in a fine rendering of Mack The Knife.

It was the sort of event that lifted the audience and I could easily have listened to the choir for a lot longer. PW

 Beethoven and Jenkins are unlikely bedfellows

THE Falkland Islands Memorial Chapel, Pangbourne College, was the venue for South Chiltern Choral Society’s 2011 spring concert under director Gwyn Arch.  They were joined by the South Chiltern Orchestra, confidently led by Cristian Persinaru, and four young postgraduate opera students: soprano Fiona Howell, mezzo-soprano Laura Kelly, tenor Stuart Jackson and bass Gareth John.

The programme was as contrasting as it could be, coupling Beethoven’s Mass In C with Karl Jenkins’ new Gloria. However, the one thing they have in common, apart from liturgical text, is experimentation and a boldness of approach. Beethoven’s work took time to gain acceptance, while Karl Jenkins’ piece will resonate rapidly with choral societies looking for something at once accessible and different.

The performance of Mass In C was both a surprise and a joy to experience. Unusually for Beethoven, given his limited commitment to opera, this had more of a stage drama about it than a religious celebration. Every one of its substantial five movements had its share of roller-coaster dynamics. Especially memorable was the Quoniams fugue and the totally triumphant Amen at the end of the Gloria.   The soloists scored primarily as a quartet and were as balanced and complementary as any seasoned string quartet. They were particularly strong in Incarnatus Est, the Benedictus and the Gloria, where they posed and answered questions in true operatic conversational style. Controlled, sympathetic and mature, they would have graced any opera stage. The tenor and soprano excelled and were well complemented by the bass and mezzo.   The orchestra deserves credit for handling a busy and taxing role throughout. There were accomplished contributions from the oboes in the Gloria and a lovely woodwind, viola and cello entry to the reflective Sanctus. The choir was also up to the challenges, especially when battling Beethoven’s fugal complexity. Their attention to dynamics was always acute and sensitive.

A real change of century and style was heralded by Karl Jenkins’ Gloria. In contrast to Beethoven, Jenkins has a tendency to eke his works out with material repeated several times over or returned to later. However, what he lacks in Beethoven’s gravitas he makes up for with novelty, surprise, noise and sheer drama. With a single soloist in one piece, the choir and orchestra had much to do, their efforts interspersed with readings in Hindu, Chinese and Arabic.  The Gloria opened with a rousing brass fanfare and complicated passages for the choir. In the Prayer: Laudamus Te the sopranos excelled, while the chorus as a whole sang simply and effectively.  Several fine cello solos added quality to this restful and satisfying interlude.   Both the Psalm: Tehillim — Psalm 150, sung in Hebrew, and the closing Exaltation were frenetic, with complicated rhythms and more than a smattering of trumpet and percussion. They were separated by the work’s elegant centrepiece, The Song: I’ll Make Music.  A further opportunity for calm and reflection, this was sung exquisitely by soprano Fiona Howell and supported sensitively by a yearning orchestral accompaniment.

SCCS continues to impress as a competent group of singers who adjust well to whatever comes their way. And they, together with the audience, are always reassured by Gwyn Arch’s authority and calm direction.  Trevor Howell

Christmas 2010

TWO concerts delayed but not defeated by the snow were finally performed at the second attempt last Sunday. For the first time in its nearly 50 years, the South Chiltern Choral Society had to cancel their usual pre-Christmas concerts due to snow.

It is a tribute to the choir’s determination and the support it gets from the community that the concerts were performed in their entirety only three weeks later. They were right. The Manchester Carols are something special. The Poet Laureate, Carol Ann Duffy, and composer Sasha Johnson Manning have created a truly original work that moves the concept of Christmas music on to a new plane. There is a series of 12 carols interspersed with readings, broadly covering the traditional Christmas story but the overall effect is totally different.  Duffy has used the story of Christmas as a metaphor for human experience, expressed simply. Combined with a series of varied and memorable melodies the carols, succinctly supported by the narration, reinforced the joy of Christmas and, by linking it to the real lives and emotions of the people involved, made it all more real and relevant.

They were delightfully performed with confidence and conviction, conducted as usual by Gwyn Arch, and the choir of Caversham Primary School, directed by Helen Willis, ably assisted by baritone Gareth Jones and narrators, Graham Phillips and Sally McEwen.

The novel orchestration consisted of piano, two recorders, a violin, flute and clarinet and was originally written for an all-female version. The children played a full part in the concert, often introducing carols. This was the best SCCS Christmas concert that I can remember, and I have been to many. It will require all of Gwyn Arch’s ingenuity to match this next Christmas!   PW

Another review from Trevor Howell may be found by clicking here

Summer 2010

Saturday 10 July at Highdown School, Caversham

Society’s Viva España

On Saturday we went to a Spanish fiesta only to enter what appeared to be an aircraft hanger with lots of people milling around dressed in black and gold braid. Actually, the aircraft hanger turned out to be the new hall at Highdown School in Emmer Green and, despite its initial appearance, it does have a remarkably good acoustic.

The South Chiltern Choral Society usually presents a Summer concert with a theme and this year it had a Latin feeling with music from Ariel Ramirez as the main work. Ramirez is a contemporary composer from Argentina who died earlier this year. He wrote his Misa Criolla in 1964 which draws heavily on folk influences and it was very appropriate to use Cafecito, a group of musicians playing music in the style of old Havana. The mass also has a tenor soloist, Roberto Ortiz.  

This young man has a beautiful lyrical tenor voice and was a perfect choice for the mass.  He reminded me of a very young Pavarotti in looks and sound and he also sang two love songs from Argentina which enchanted the audience. Cafecito also provided two sets of Cuban classics which were very suitable for the climate although I did feel that their flautist had a rather harsh sound. The congas, timbales, bongos and double bass set a good rhythm for all the music in the evening.  It was interesting to hear about the different styles such as the cha cha cha, salsa, bolero, and danzons which is the Cuban national dance song.

There were also performances from the Raymond Miles Dancers of five Latin-American classics sung by the choir and it was good to see some colour and movement around the hall. After all, Latin-American is really for dancing to!

An interesting evening, thoroughly enjoyed by the capacity audience who no doubt trod those dance steps back to their cars. I’m not sure that all these pieces were suitable for large choirs; they depend entirely on the often complex rhythms and while the choir sang well, they sometimes couldn’t provide that sense of dynamism that the music requires.  Full marks, however, to musical director Gwyn Arch for providing yet again an evening of different music.

John Evans

Spring Concert 2010

Saturday  March 20^th 2010 at The University Great Hall

Performances combine to provide joyous evening

If you read the South Chiltern Choral Society website you will see that the spring concert is reserved for the major choral works and performed at Reading University’s Great Hall.  All the major composers have appeared over time and it was a pleasant surprise to see that Mozart, Vivaldi and Kodaly were all represented this year. The choir looked resplendent in black, white and red with a suitably sombre dress code.

But the music was nothing like that, particularly the two pieces by Vivaldi. It was a very joyful evening. The choir was joined by four soloists, a small orchestra and two excellent trumpet players. But more about that later.

Kodaly’s Missa Brevis was an opportunity to hear the wonderful organ with Simon Dinsdale at the keys. The piece started well with a good attack by the choir and was sustained throughout assisted by the splendid soloists, especially Kate Warshaw (mezzo) and Ashley Riches (bass).

The major piece was Mozart’s Solemn Vespers which used the orchestra. However, I found the orchestra rather overbearing at first but such is the fine acoustic of this hall, that I was able to tune into the different elements of the orchestra, soloists and choir. Gwyn Arch, musical director, was able to keep the piece alive by energising all the participants so that the music was constantly flowing. The soloists performed as a team with a perfect balance between them. The soprano (Lisa Anne Robinson) was superb in the Laudate Dominum, her voice perfect for this piece. If anyone wanted an introduction to Mozart choral singing, this was the performance to hear.

After the interval we were treated to a performance of Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets. The brass section of orchestras is often overlooked as if it is thought incapable of providing solo performances. Although this is a short piece it showed the excellent skills of Maddie Cottam and Ruth Strikland and gave the singers a well earned breather.

Finally, Vivaldi’s Gloria in all its magnificence was a step above the other pieces and the choir was able to deliver attack, pace and also clear words; something that is not always delivered by large ensembles. Lisa Anne Robinson and Kate Warshaw were involved as well and provided some fine performances to make this a truly glorious performance.

John Evans

Christmas 2009

Held on Saturday 19 December at 7.30pm and Sunday 20 December 2009 at 2.30pm at Chiltern Edge School, Sonning Common.

Voices raised in praise of tradition

On the last weekend before Christmas, there’s a tradition in Sonning Common — to sing carols with the South Chiltern Choral Society.

Of course there’s much more to it than that. But what the audience really want to do is to listen to a visiting children’s choir, have a drink and mince pie in the interval and sing their hearts out.

There’s time for music old, music new, serious music, light-hearted moments and the latest John Rutter composition. And it’s so popular that they have to repeat the Saturday evening concert on Sunday afternoon.

The choir performed Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms with a wonderful young soloist, Alex Norton. This is a very challenging piece and although careless in places, there were some really moving passages. It’s a very wild piece and can easily slip out of control. I did feel that the small accompaniment of harp, percussion and organ wasn’t really enough to balance the large choir but it was certainly possible to appreciate the real quality of this work. For many people it is a real joy to join a choir just to sing. Gwyn Arch, musical director, offers his choir great music and an opportunity to sing it well.

Kidmore End Primary school choir was in cracking form and sang some excellent pieces including different settings of traditional carols, an excerpt from Benjamin Britten’s Ceremony of Carols and joined with the main choir in a piece by John Rutter. These children really have got a fine sense of music and it was really enjoyable.

Then we heard the South Chiltern Choral Society sing A Christmas Mass by Ronald Corp, which was a curious piece with excerpts from more than 75 carol melodies. It was an attempt to bring together all the popular Christmas music in one place but it was very frustrating to listen to as there was no continuity. It was however very well sung by the choir.

We finished the concert with 0 Come all ye Faithful; a village truly prepared for Christmas, followed by White Christmas. Sometimes tradition is all. J.E.

Saturday 27 June 2009

Fitting tribute for American Independence

When you’ve followed the South Chiltern Choral Society for a number of years, like I have, you come to know that their music changes like the seasons. And this summer it was an opportunity to listen to a wide selection of American music. Originally billed for July 4, the date had to be moved because of a clash with other events, but no matter — it was a good early celebration.

I’ve got to say at the outset that the star of the show was Madeline Bell, an American soul singer accompanied by her regular accompanist David Arch, son of the South Chiltern conductor Gwyn Arch. Anything involving David is bound to be good. In fact, Madeline describes him as “the best gospel pianist in England”. I was just captivated however by Madeline’s singing. She sang a huge variety of blues and jazz numbers finishing up with the rock classic Great Balls of Fire. She was such a professional and she absolutely won over the audience’s hearts.

The South Chiltern choir had a full programme of singing as well and inevitably many of the songs were spirituals but there were also cowboy songs (Red River Valley), folk songs (Black is the Colour of My True Love’s Hair), and some unusual arrangements. One of these was Frankie and Johnny, which was really nice. There was an extract from Bernstein’s West Side Story (Somewhere) which was probably the best singing that they did. Was it because it was sung from memory rather than have the music in front of them?

The choir was also accompanied by David, apart from one male voice arrangement of The Blue-Tail Fly, which had Clive Waterman at the piano.

The concert finished (naturally) with Battle Hymn of the Republic, where the audience were encouraged to join in and, magnificently, Madeline Bell came to join the choir.  John Evans

Easter 2009 - Celebrating Handel

Saturday April 4^th 2009

Handel with care

The Great Hall, Reading University, was the venue for South Chiltern Choral Society’s homage to George Frideric Handel 250 years after his death in 1759. The choir was directed by Conductor Gwyn Arch and accompanied by the South Chiltern Orchestra, leader Cristian Persinaru, with its rock solid brass section.

In celebrating Handel, one is spoilt for choice amongst a copious output. South Chiltern Choral Society got it about right, opting for a cross-section of Handel’s declamatory and lyrical styles. The first half juxtaposed three Coronation Anthems with chamber works; the second coupled the eight-movement Dixit Dominus with Art thou troubled? a moment of reflection as the reverberations from De torrente in via bibet died away.

The Coronation Anthems showcased the choir’s all-round competence, especially their discreet, unforced projection and tight ensemble. At first, in the opening chorus of Anthem 3, the choir felt muted in an acoustic that favoured the orchestra and gave full licence to the trumpets. But in the second section they expanded into a fuller, rounded tone. Whilst the introduction to Anthem 2 might have benefited from a livelier tempo, the second section began with a beautifully controlled low alto entry.  Already, Gwyn Arch’s gift for silences and endings was evident in some finely timed pauses and weighted rubatos.

The smaller chamber items were then interspersed, comprising two choir pieces, Where’re you walk and Silent worship, both sensitively sung, and solos and duets featuring soprano, Lisa Anne Robinson, and mezzo soprano, Rachael Lloyd.

The soprano’s Chi cede al furore was an ornate tour de force, but for my taste a little too powerful in its baroque context. Her full-throttle delivery also all but eclipsed the mezzo soprano’s slighter sound in the love duet, Caro! Bella!. The latter, however, came through beautifully in her solo rendering of Omra ma fui, complemented by the orchestra’s sympathetic accompaniment.

Zadoc the Priest (Anthem 1) enjoyed a well honed crescendo up to the triumphant choral entry, culminating in a rousing God Save the King a hallmark Handelian finale.

In the second half, Dixit Dominus offered Handel’s full palette of colours: full-blooded choruses and a number of duets and solos, which the continuo cello and harpsichord accompanied superbly. Of particular note were the mezzo aria, Virgam virtutis, the dissonant Dominus a dextris tuis and the wonderfully layered De torrente in via bibet, revealing the solo soprano at her very best and unfazed by an unreasonably high register. Neither the staccato polyphony of Jaravit Domino nor the complex strands of Tu es sacerdos deterred the choir.

Handel’s detractors say he had an eye on the main chance and especially the money. True or not, quality is quality, and full justice was done to it by Gwyn Arch and his choir. For more of this, and a complete change of mood, you should reserve 27th June at the Great Hall for “Sounds American” and a picnic.  Trevor Howell

Christmas 2008

Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st December 2008

A very English Christmas concert

South Chiltern Choral Society’s concert at Chiltern Edge School was billed The English Christmas, a very appropriate title as it was the 50th anniversary of the death of Vaughan Williams, a prominent English composer of choral music.

With music by John Rutter, James Whitbourn and Bob Chilcott as well as Vaughan Williams, this was a very English concert as well as a very enjoyable one. As usual, there was a children’s choir — from Caversham Primary School — and some jazz, a passion of musical director Gwyn Arch. Concerts at Christmas are always challenges for choirs: something familiar (carols), something new (a world premiere of a carol) and something musically demanding but interesting to the audience so that people leave with a sense of having started the season properly, having been entertained.

The main piece in the first half was composed for BBC series Son Of God, which was an investigation by Jeremy Bowen into the life of Jesus Christ. The original music had been supplemented by the Latin Mass and was accompanied by keyboard and soprano saxophone — an extraordinary combination of ancient chants and contemporary improvisation that wouldn’t be expected to mix but did.

The tremendous playing of Quentin Bryar on saxophone made this a memorable experience. There were some very haunting passages and then suddenly we were brought back into the 21st century.

In the second half, the school choir sang a selection of carols, including a very amusing performance of The 12 Days of Christmas and the very first performance of Mr Gold, Mr Myrrh And Frankie, an off-beat version of the story of the Magi, both of which were enthusiastically appreciated by the capacity audience. As a celebration of Vaughan Williams’ works, the choir performed Fantasia On Christmas Carols, a mix of four regional carols woven with other well-known tunes.

The choir was joined by Callum Thorpe, a student at the Royal Academy with a powerful baritone voice, which was one of the highlights of the concert. He had already entertained us in the first half with different styles of Christmas music.

The choir sang well with a complement of nearly 100 singers. The audience also sang reasonably and everyone went home happy, having started the festive season well.  At the very end, there was a taste of what is to come in 2009 — a Gwyn Arch arrangement of He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands, part of the Sounds American concert to be performed in July.

John Evans

Carmina Burana

Sunday 6 July 2008

Read the review below from the 11 July 2008 Henley Standard....

Society offers a musical education

They were brave folk who ventured onto the grounds of Reading University’s Great Hall on Sunday with a picnic table, for it was the annual ‘summer’ concert of the South Chiltern Choral Society. If they didn’t think much of the picnic and the weather, they did have something to look forward to later on.

The concert which followed was a curious mix with Carl Orff’s Carmina Burana preceded by a selection of Gilbert & Sullivan songs. Curious, as they are completely different styles. And the G&S was sung in the first half which meant that the choir had to hold back, ready for the onslaught to come. But it was worth it!

Carmina Burana is usually performed with a full orchestra but this accompaniment by Carl Orff himself was for two pianos and percussion — The Ben Hartley Ensemble. This excellent group provided an earthy, almost primeval sound which was absolutely right for the piece.

Katherine Price and Miles Horner were good choices as soloists, even though it is primarily a choral piece. The soprano solos were sensitively sung and the baritone solos were really attacking.

I had been slightly disappointed with the choir in the G&S but now I see that they were waiting for the main event and here they held back no more. They started the O Fortuna with a big impact that lasted through the whole piece.

The choir numbered about 80 which is a large ensemble and when they attacked a chord you really felt the impact. The sound, accompanied by the percussion, was, I believe the impact that Carl Orff intended. The men’s chorus weren’t able to repeat this in their solo sections but as a whole choir it was terrific.

There are a number of more sensitive passages in places but the most memorable part was in the climaxes, especially at the end with O Fortuna which rounded off an unusual and compelling performance.

It’s always interesting to come to the South Chiltern concerts to see what their musical director, Gwyn Arch, has thought up. The style is always different and in a sense, it’s always a bit of a musical education. This time was no exception and I thoroughly enjoyed this very rounded performance which showed off the Great Hall’s acoustics to their best. It was built for concerts like this and the terrific burst of applause at the end of the evening was a fitting testimony to the enjoyment of the audience.

John Evans

Verdi Requiem

Saturday 19th April 2008

We gave a 'riveting' performance - according to the Henley Standard. 

Our choir joined with the ‘Ensemble de Meylan’ a well-known French group from Grenoble, who made an exchange visit to us after we performed with them last year in France. We also had ‘Parenthesis’, a Reading-based choir, a combined choir of about 220 voices!

Singing the beautiful solo interludes our soloists were soprano Julia Sporsen, mezzo soprano Rachael Lloyd, tenor Paul Hopwood and baritone Roland Wood, all young professionals already successfully launched on their careers.  The choirs were accompanied by the South Chiltern Orchestra and conducted by Gwyn Arch.

Christmas 2007