Singing is fun!

An afternoon choral workshop with Janet Lincé

This was held on the afternoon of Sunday 20th January at the Matrix with Peter McMullin as accompanist.

It attracted a number of new people besides the regular choir members and was enjoyed by all. We received a great number of valuable tips and had, as promised, a very enjoyable afternoon.

Autumn Concert 2018

This will be a Handel  dominated programme. The date is now fixed for Sunday November the 25th 2018:

  • Handel – Chandos anthem No 2:  In the Lord put I my trust – HWV 247
  • Handel – Chandos anthem No 9:  O praise the Lord – HWV 254
  • Purcell – Rejoice in the Lord alway ‘The bell anthem’, Z 49
  • Handel – Concerto Grosso in C major ‘Alexander’s Feast’ – HWV 318

The first rehearsal was at 19:30 on Friday 14th September. 

Continue reading “Autumn Concert 2018”

Passiontide Concert 2018

Haydn Mass in B-Flat major. (Sancti Joannis de Deo or Little Organ Mass) Hob.XX11:7

Mozart Misericordias Domini K222

Mendelssohn Christe du Lamm Gottes

Mendelssohn Te Deum

Purcell Rejoice in the Lord alway

Saint-Saëns Ave verum

Saint-Saëns Quam dilecta, Op.148

Advent Concert 2017

Camille Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio: Op 12

Jean-Philippe Rameau Hymne à la nuit

William Byrd Ave Verum Corpus.

Benjamin Britten Cermony of Carols: Op 28

Camille Saint-Saëns Fantaisie for violin and harp: Op  124

We received the following appreciation from one audience member:

I have been to a number of concerts given by your excellent group and I find that once again my worst fears were confounded. Every time I’m impressed with the difference of your programme selection. For example, the Bonocini ‘Stabat Mater’ and the wildly different Zelenka ‘Miserere’ were two concerts I enjoyed enormously.  As someone who regularly attends choral concerts I have a sense of relief when I don’t have to listen to yet another mass or requiem by Bach, Mozart, Faure or Handel (great composers as they are and mainstays of the choral repertoire.)

To come to a programme of Saint-Saëns and Benjamin Britten therefore is both enjoyable and unusual. The inclusion of the harp and violin ‘Fantasie’ balanced the evening beautifully and created a welcome opportunity to reflect on the sheer diversity of Saint-Saëns’ music. What a find this young and talented violinist Elizabeth Nurse is!

The opening two unaccompanied pieces were well rehearsed and whilst ‘Ave Verum’ is sung frequently the adjoining selection of Rameau’s hymn of lament was an unusual and inspired choice. The choir gave both of these pieces a sense of timing and delivery which started the evening well.

The ‘Christmas Oratorio’ was delightful, the soloists here were well balanced and sung beautifully, with the choir once again well-rehearsed and singing with a sensitivity, especially in the ‘Gloria Patri’, that I found quite moving. The work was new to me, and many in the audience also, and one I should like to hear again.

Britten’s ‘Ceremony of Carols’ I have heard many times before and usually with just treble voices, so it was a great pleasure and surprise to hear the lower registers join in with this arrangement. No doubt there has been much discussion on how to pronounce middle English but my view is that if one sings loudly and enthusiastically enough then nothing is lost in the interpretation, and I did indeed feel “Wolcum.” The icy coldness of the interlude had the audience spellbound and surprisingly breathless with concentration (well done Anneke Hodnett whose playing throughout the evening was to a very high standard) and the whole work was delivered by choir and two soloists to my complete enjoyment.

Thank you, All Saints’ Singers for the concert, the mulled wine and the minced pie.   I shall come again!

And Patrick Salisbury wrote:

Dear David,

This was certainly a most successful concert. It was ingenious to devise such a varied programme with accompaniment by an orchestra comprising only strings and continuo but with the addition of a superb harpist. In the event, many of us were introduced to a peaceful Rameau Hymn and a fine Christmas Oratorio by Saint-Saens. In the latter, the chorus really came into their own with outstanding contributions by the five excellent soloists

To begin the second half of the programme, it was a bonus to have our new orchestral leader Elizabeth Nurse joining the harpist Anneke Hodnett in a wonderful performance of Saint-Saen’s beautiful “Fantaisie”. Inevitably, Britten’s “Ceremony of Carols” provided the climax to the concert; here the choir sang with accuracy and understanding, employing subtly contrasted dynamics. Again, the presence of a dedicated harpist must have given them that extra incentive to excel. Although one might say that, in this concert, the choir did not have as major a role as might normally be the case, their contribution was always well prepared and carefully presented.

Altogether a most enjoyable occasion, a view obviously shared by the larger than ever audience. I do hope Sebastian Thomson will stay with us!

With very best wishes – Patrick
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Annual BBQ – 2017

Our annual barbecue was once again held at Pamela Vivian’s home. The event was enjoyed by some 22 members and friends of the choir. The cloudy and cool weather did not dampen spirits, although a number of us preferred the comfort inside Pamela’s house. Tony Furze delivered as usual a generous offering of great barbecued meat which was complemented by salads and desserts prepared by members of the choir. It really was a lovely event and we hope to repeat it again next year.

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Pamela at Garsington

As a tribute to Pamela Vivian for all that she has done, and continues to do, for the choir, the members offered her an evening to be remembered at Garsington Opera this summer.  She sent us her thanks:

Dear All Saints’ Singers,
I cannot tell you how amazed I was at the extraordinary generosity you showed me this summer.  The whole evening at Garsington Opera at Wormsley was truly magical.  We started with a welcoming champagne ‘hors d’oeuvre’  followed by a wonderful first act of “Semele”.  We then had a top notch interval meal in Jamie’s marquee restaurant and ended with the sumptuous and magical second half of Handel’s most wonderful opera.  It was a truly magnificent evening in a simply scintillating setting.  The weather was fine and the fairy-light atmosphere as dusk came and night descended was totally in keeping with the beauty of the music.  This wonderful evening will be one of my most beautiful memories.
Very gratefully,
Pamela.

Tony and Jenny, David and Angela and David’s sister, Margaret, were there as also were Paul and Carol Gibbs and their daughter.  We had an absolutely fabulous evening with Pamela.

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Saturday April 22nd: “Vamp til Ready”

This was another great entertaining and fund-raising event.

Vamp til Ready is a tremendously funny and mightily accomplished song-and-dance act that had many of us in stitches earlier this year. Our own Martin Elliff is one of its stars.

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Reactions to the event.

Janet Knowles said:

Last night was a triumph. Thank you so much. Our friends loved it, and as my David pointed out, I enjoyed it even more than a folk concert at the Albert Hall on Easter day! Vamp were terrific – what talent.  The supper was very good, and clever of you to do it for the ticket price. Several on our table commented on that – they were expecting a mere nibble.

Susan King wrote:

What a brilliant result! It was a very happy event which we enjoyed greatly. Thank you so much to you and all the committee for working so hard to give us such a wonderful evening.