Waverley Singers

"Singers' concert sets the mood for holiday"

The following review was contributed to, and was published in, The Herald newspaper on 28 December 2012:

The Waverley Singers ushered in the festive season with a highly imaginative and evocative programme of carols and readings at the Christmas concert held at St Andrew's Parish Church in Farnham on Saturday, December 8, in the presence of the Mayor and Mayoress of Waverley Borough Council.

The first half of the concert introduced works by Michael Praetorius including his classic In Dulci Jubilo and by Peter Warlock, whose piece Bethlehem Down was spellbinding. The first half finished with Gustav Holst’s well known set of variations on Christmas carols, Christmas Day - a Choral fantasy.

The soloist, Edward Ballard, a student on the preparatory opera course at the Royal Academy of Music, performed a set of two German carols, Die Könige and Schlafendes Jesuskind. Edward’s mellow baritone then charmed the audience further with Have yourself a merry little Christmas.

During the interval Suzie Ladbrooke gave a short but informative introduction to Arthritis Research UK, which was the charity benefiting from a collection at the end of the concert.

 The second half of the evening introduced a series of pieces from 19th and 20th century composers reflecting different cultures, languages, and styles. These ranged from two versions of Bogoroditse Dyevo (Ave Maria) by Rachmaninoff and Arvo Part, All and some by John Byrt and Seek him that maketh the seven stars by Jonathan Dove.

Harold Darke’s setting of Christina Rossetti’s poem In the bleak midwinter and lastly Sir Christemas by William Mathias completed the programme of choral masterpieces.

The choir, superbly marshalled by conductor Richard Pearce, rose most effectively to the challenge of the variations of harmony, dynamics, and language. Guest organist Philip Scriven gave a demonstration of the range and power of the newly refurbished organ in a virtuoso performance of Sleigh Ride.

The spirit of the evening was also much enhanced by the four excellent Christmas readings given by members of the choir, and the audience, judging by their reaction and comments afterwards, felt that the evening was the best possible start to their Christmas. A retiring collection for Arthritis Research UK, which receives no grants from government for its work, raised over £500.

The Waverley Singers' next concerts are on February 9, Come and Sing Mozart's Requiem at St Andrew’s Parish Church, Farnham, and on March 16, Beethoven’s Mass in C at St Andrew’s Garrison Church of Scotland, Aldershot.