Romsey Choral Society
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Review of concert on 5th July 2008 |
A Sea Symphony – Abbey lifted by the sound
Last Saturday, on the opening night of the Romsey Arts Festival, a packed Abbey was electrified by a mesmerising performance of Vaughan Williams Sea Symphony. It was a credit to the Romsey Choral Society and to the West Forest Sinfonia that the Town’s music lovers had attended in such numbers despite an almost identical programme being put on in Winchester the night before! And they were not disappointed.
Pam Gale, President of the Festival, speaking at the reception which followed the concert said, “This was simply an outstanding and most memorable concert. The Abbey was lifted with the sound, and the soprano, Elizabeth Franklin-Kitchen, produced possibly the best solo singing the Abbey has heard in recent times. She filled the Abbey with sound”
The concert began with a short and beautiful prayer for peace by Felix Mendelssohn, ‘Verleih uns Frieden, gnadiglich’. This was in appreciation of one of the Choral Society’s long standing members, German born Marlene Clayson, who is stepping down from the stage after 25 years as a member. This was followed by the same composer’s ever popular Hebrides Overture, played with verve and enthusiasm by West Forest Sinfonia on their second visit to the Abbey, from their base in Berkshire.
The first half ended with the first of the Vaughan William’s pieces, ‘Towards the Unknown Region’. This setting of Walt Whitman’s words, ‘Darest thou now oh soul’, takes the listener from metaphysical uncertainty about the future through to confident aspiration to a time when ‘we burst forth, we float in time and space’, the music matching the sentiment with wonderful stirring music that recalls the choral sound-world of Elgar and Parry.
The entire second half of the concert was dedicated to ‘A Sea Symphony’, also by Vaughan Williams, on the 50th anniversary of his death. This work, first performed in 1910, is a dramatic portrayal of the sea in all its moods, written for full orchestra, choir and two soloists. Stephen Gadd (Bass) and Elizabeth Franklin-Kitchen (Soprano) filled the excellent Abbey acoustic with Elizabeth in particular, soaring over the full orchestra and choir in one or two memorable moments.
With Vaughan Williams sumptuous orchestration the choir have to sing with, rather than be accompanied by, the orchestra. This they achieved to perfection which only then emphasised the purity of sound and subtlety of tone when they were singing alone, in sections of gentle warmth and reflection.
A full Abbey, an appreciative audience, and an excellent performance. Once again Romsey has been treated to a thrilling introduction to its ever growing Arts Festival, and concert goers are entering 8th November in their diaries, when the Choral Society return to the Abbey with the Rachmaninov Vespers.
Mark Smith