Review of recent concerts

Christmas Choral Classics (Saturday, 7 December 2002)

When William of Normandy's troops reached the market town of Dorking in 1066 they took little notice of the small Saxon church at the West End of the town. However it was duly noted in the Domesday Book 20 years later and since that time succeeding generations have added to its magnificence.

Now a lofty building reflecting architectural styles of many periods, its vaulted timber roof provides excellent acoustics for choral works.

Such is the fame of the Reigate and Redhill Choral Society, that holding their usual Christmas concert in Dorking instead of Reigate had no effect on audience attendance – a full church of about 350 to 400. Also in the audience was the chairman of Mole Valley District Council, Heather Ward and her husband.

This year's performance was a very special one, as the four carols, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing, God rest you Merry Gentlemen, Unto us is Born a Son and O Come All Ye Faithful, were arranged by Sir David Willcocks. His son Jonathan was in the audience celebrating his 50^th birthday and in his honour two major works of the concert were his Come Rejoicing and Magnificat.

To accommodate nearly 100 choristers, staging for seating had been erected across the chancel and out into the transept, and in front of the singers were the musicians of the Surrey ProMusica.

All the singing was superb and remarkably one of the sopranos was reading from a Braille score as she sang.

Come Rejoicing is a choral celebration of Christmas which Jonathan Willcocks wrote in 1991.

The nine movements range through a variety of tempos and musical styles, each piece being interspersed with a biblical reading performed by the fine Shakespearean actor, Fred Harrison.

Three of the movements are for a soloist and choir and Katherine Bond's wonderful voice soared out into the vast building.

Jonathan Willcocks said that he was thrilled with the performance by the choir, it was always a great pleasure for a composer to hear one of his works performed, especially by a non-professional choir as they seemed to put much more exuberance into their singing.

Jubilate by Bob Chilcott was a more strident work, lots of work for the piano (Ray Maulkin) and some very difficult passages for the choir. The solo passages were sung by Katherine Bond superbly accompanied on the French horn by Dagmara Harrison-Preiss.

About the final work, the Magnificat, the composer said that he had been commissioned by a choral society in Carolina to write it in 1997. The president of the society stressed that there should be plenty of opportunity for the altos to show off their voices and he was not surprised to find that that was the part she sang herself.

It was a wonderful evening of music, with the conductor, Peter Farrant, having perfect control.

Derrick Graham
Surrey Mirror, 'The Guide', December 13, 2002

For further information: call 01737 772811 or email info@rrcs.org.uk
	Reigate & Redhill Choral Society is affiliated to Making Music: The National Federation of Music Societies and gratefully acknowledges support received from the Borough of Reigate & Banstead Arts Council. Registered Charity No 280195

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