AYLESBURY Choral Society
Stowe College Chapel
Saturday May 7

THE Society commemorated the 60th anniversay of the end of the war in Europe (VE Day) with a dramatic tribute to those who made victory possible, represented by the presence of veterans of the war as the guests of the society at the chapel.

The centrepiece of the event was a brilliant performance of the Verdi Requiem.

But this was no routine choral concert. It began with a number of war poems, beautifully read by choir members Neil Shepherd-Smith, John Chantler and Michael Godsal.

A one-minute silence was followed by a reading of Harry Truman's radio address, from which the hushed reverential opening of the Requiem seemed to emerge naturally.

The transition to the blazing incandescence of the Dies irae was stunning. This was indeed a Day of Anger, the trumpets certainly sounded loud as thunder, the King of Tremendous Majesty seemed to be present in person.

Conductor Peter Leech, completing his first year as the society's musical director, marshalled his large resources effectively - the 100-strong choir, augmented by a semi-chorus from Bristol Bach Choir (another of his responsibilities), the four accomplished soloists and fittingly, in this most operatic of sacred pieces, the orchestra of Stowe Opera.

The ensemble and balance were generally excellent, despite an occasional tendency for an over-exuberant orchestra to swamp the singers (for which the acoustics and layout of the chapel might well be to blame).

Similarly, the quartet of soloists, Cheryl Enever, Catherine Denley, Graham Webber and Stephen Foulkes, responded capably to Verdi's demands, both musically and dramatically.

The choir sang throughout with power and precision, with a wide dynamic range.

I have attended many performances of the Verdi Requiem; none has moved me as much as this one.

Charles Vincent

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