Waverley Singers

Waverleys show their power

The following review appeared on 22 November 1996.

Denys Darlow was at St Andrew's Garrison Church, Aldershot, on Saturday to hear a fine performance of his “Stabat Mater” by the Waverley Singers and the Tilford Bach Orchestra, conducted by Malcolm Hicks. 

Commissioned by the Arts Council, it was first performed at the Tilford Bach Festival in 1987. A meditation on the suffering of Christ's Mother by the Cross, the Latin poem is framed by early English texts as prologue and epilogue for tenor solo and laced with "Interpolations" for chorus, in the manner of chorales; a marvellous marriage of texts from the 4th to the 19th centuries.

The Waverley Singers confidently met the substantial challenge of this affecting work with its rich texture; moments of drama at "scourging" and "Lest I be consumed in the flames", the impassioned plea at "Sancta Mater", the wordless but eloquent voice of the oboe at crucial moments (such as "Dum emisit spiritum"), returning with the final repeated Alleluias of the epilogue, which look forward to Easter. The fine soloists were Sarah Vivian, soprano, and Philip Dennis, tenor.

The Waverley Singers have consolidated over the past year, and now have considerable assurance in all sections. They showed it in Mozart's great “Mass in C minor”. The splendid tenors at the opening of the Gloria must be mentioned, and the full choir attack at the Credo was a thrilling affirmation.

Waverley Singers have been forged into a powerful and responsive instrument by their director, Malcolm Hicks. The team of soloists for the Mass was completed by Deborah Miles-Johnson, a very impressive contralto, and Christopher Foster, bass, of whom it would have been a pleasure to hear more.

Contributed