Spring Concert
by Chris Holmes T
he night before the start of the Lent
half-term seems the perfect time for
one of our more intimate concerts,
and that indeed is what a sizeable
audience was in for in the Chapel -
music-making of charm, polish and
overriding excellence.
Stuart Paul's brass group began
proceedings with two pieces, the stately
Largo from Handel's Xerxes, followed by
the far more spritely Prelude from
Charpentier's Te Deum, which bounced
along with a suitable spring in its step.
We then had the first performance of the
evening from no fewer than three
organists, when Camilla Arliss played
Robert Jones' Rhuddlan, a thoughtful,
well-prepared and highly musical reading,
with subtle phrasing and lovely
registrations. She was followed by
Meiling Daniell-Greenhalgh, who played
the Adagio from J S Bach's Violin Sonata
in G, a performance that contained all the
characteristic poise and elegance that
Meiling brings to everything she does.
Back on the organ stool, William
Cashmore gave a delightful performance
of Elizabeth Hill's Little Toccata, before
the 3rd form vocal trio of Grace Albery,
Hannah Jewell and Flora Davies sang Lift
Thine Eyes from Mendelssohn's Elijah.
This contained impressive pitching, and a
beautiful unanimity of phrasing and
shaping.
The final contribution from the magnificent
King's College organ came from Alex
Leung, who played the Prelude and Fugue
in G, attributed to J S Bach. Audiences at
King's know all about Alex's keyboard
prowess, but this of course added a further
dimension, with his feet showing the same
nimble dexterity as his hands!
Seemingly the intimacy of the evening was
to be over with the Chapel Choir billed to
end the concert, but the repertoire they
chose suited the occasion perfectly - calm,
reflective, almost Lenten offerings. Fauré's
Cantique de Jean Racine, Rheinberger's
Abendlied and Thou Knowest, Lord from
Bob Chilcott's Requiem all had a beautiful
ebb and flow, with lovely shadings of tone
and an effortless ease.
The evening came to an almost
meditative close with three movements
from Fauré's Requiem - the Pie Jesu,
Libera Me and In Paradisum, in which
the impressive soloists were Bryony
House and Patrick Cartwright. Under the
baton of Director of Music Colin Albery,
and accompanied most ably by James
Campbell, this was the most delightful
way to bring the curtain down on the first
half of term.
50
… music-making
of charm, polish
and overriding
excellence