Music for A Summer's Evening
St James Church, Great Packington. Saturday 12 June 2010
Driving through the park to the church on a beautiful evening with the deer for additional entertainment raised the expectation of a special evening. We were not to be disappointed.
I have heard the Choral Society from time to time over 5 years and the continued improvement is evident. I was impressed the first time I heard them but they now have a precision and clarity which is rare in such a society and a joy to hear. They are, of course, well rehearsed but in addition have a clear feeling for each other and the music.
The programme was an eclectic mix of sacred and secular music all well performed. My particular favourites were the Elizabethan Madrigals performed after the interval.
Andrew Fletcher, the Musical Director, played chorale preludes and other pieces on the organ. They were much appreciated by the audience and the instrument's limitations were no disadvantage to such an excellent musician.
The Choral Society provides bursaries to young singers who commit to the choir. The standard of singing these teenagers achieve augurs well for the future of choral singing. The Society should be congratulated for initiating such a scheme. We were treated to an encore featuring solos from three of the Bursary singers, James Andrews, Samantha Cobb and Imogen Vining, which illustrated the high standard they achieve with the society.
During the interval we enjoyed strawberries and cream and a glass of wine or punch served by the tenors and basses. Most welcome, and adding another dimension to the variety of the evening’s entertainment.
All in all this biennial event is a popular and much anticipated occasion of which the Society and their Musical Director should be justly proud.
Malcolm Ross