Concert review March 2007
Our March 2007 performance of Handel's Messiah was reviewed in the Bucks Herald and the review is reproduced here:
Handel's Messiah is one of the most frequently performed oratorios and its continuing popularity over 260 years after its first performance filled St Mary’s Church in Aylesbury to capacity on Saturday March 24th 2007.
Aylesbury Choral Society, with a small orchestra, The Frideswide Ensemble, playing on historical instruments and four outstanding soloists, exceeded all expectations. The balance between the choral voices was maintained throughout partly by the ingenious ordering of the singers, with the tenors, significantly fewer in number than the other sections, placed at the front.
Conductor Peter Leech moved things along at a cracking pace, common these days with small choirs but less so with larger forces, and the way in which the 86 strong Choral Society responded, with vitality and clarity of diction was
most impressive.
The speed of the performance extended to the orchestra: the Pastoral Symphony that precedes the appearance of the shepherds, usually taken at a languorous pace, was played as a rollicking country dance with the strings sounding
remarkably like a hurdy gurdy.
All four soloists were excellent but particularly impressive were bass Wyn Pencarreg, who really came into his own towards the end with storming versions of Why Do the Nations and The Trumpet Shall Sound, and Alison Kettlewell, who
was listed in the programme as a mezzo soprano despite being blessed with an extraordinary contralto voice. In fact in her duet with tenor Joseph Cornwell, her voice sounded deeper than his.
There were several surprise arrangements for the singers – He Shall Feed His Flock is usually shared between alto and soprano, but here was given entirely to Ms Kettlewell, while How Beautiful Are the Feet, normally a soprano air,
became a wonderful fugue for alto and soprano Pippa Goss.
Peter Leech is a collector of Handel manuscripts, several interesting examples of which were on display. Being able to go back to the original sources was evidently an inspiration for such an original performance. This was not just another Messiah but a totally fresh interpretation and an undoubted triumph for Aylesbury Choral Society.
Joss O’Kelly
April 4 2007
Handel's Messiah is one of the most frequently performed oratorios and its continuing popularity over 260 years after its first performance filled St Mary’s Church in Aylesbury to capacity on Saturday March 24th 2007.
Aylesbury Choral Society, with a small orchestra, The Frideswide Ensemble, playing on historical instruments and four outstanding soloists, exceeded all expectations. The balance between the choral voices was maintained throughout partly by the ingenious ordering of the singers, with the tenors, significantly fewer in number than the other sections, placed at the front.
Conductor Peter Leech moved things along at a cracking pace, common these days with small choirs but less so with larger forces, and the way in which the 86 strong Choral Society responded, with vitality and clarity of diction was
most impressive.
The speed of the performance extended to the orchestra: the Pastoral Symphony that precedes the appearance of the shepherds, usually taken at a languorous pace, was played as a rollicking country dance with the strings sounding
remarkably like a hurdy gurdy.
All four soloists were excellent but particularly impressive were bass Wyn Pencarreg, who really came into his own towards the end with storming versions of Why Do the Nations and The Trumpet Shall Sound, and Alison Kettlewell, who
was listed in the programme as a mezzo soprano despite being blessed with an extraordinary contralto voice. In fact in her duet with tenor Joseph Cornwell, her voice sounded deeper than his.
There were several surprise arrangements for the singers – He Shall Feed His Flock is usually shared between alto and soprano, but here was given entirely to Ms Kettlewell, while How Beautiful Are the Feet, normally a soprano air,
became a wonderful fugue for alto and soprano Pippa Goss.
Peter Leech is a collector of Handel manuscripts, several interesting examples of which were on display. Being able to go back to the original sources was evidently an inspiration for such an original performance. This was not just another Messiah but a totally fresh interpretation and an undoubted triumph for Aylesbury Choral Society.
Joss O’Kelly
April 4 2007
