Carols by Candlelight
Baritone: Michael Pearce
Organ: Philip Scriven
Tavener: God Is With Us
Audience Carol: The First Nowell
Carter: A Maiden Most Gentle
Atkins: The Three Kings
Willcocks: Jingle Bells
Audience Carol: O Little Town of Bethlehem
JS Bach: In Dulci Jubilo BWV 608 - organ solo
JS Bach: O little one sweet
JS Bach: In Dulci Jubilo BWV 729 - organ solo
Howells: A Spotless Rose
Audience Carol: O Come All Ye Faithful
Mason: Joy to the World
Willcocks: Angelus ad Virginem
Gounod: Nazareth (with Baritone solo)
Tchaikovsky: The Crown of Roses
Ledger: Still, Still, Still Audience Carol: Away in a Manger Rutter: Mary's Lullaby
Rutter: Shepherd's Pipe Carol
Garth Edmundson: Toccata on 'Vom Himmel Hoch' (Organ solo)
Willcocks: Quelle est Cette Odeur
Vaughan Williams: Wassail Song
Audience Carol: Hark the Herald
The concert included carols for audience as well as those sung by the choir, plus solos for baritone and for organ.
Reviews
"Candlelit carols in a beautiful setting"
The review below appeared in the Farnham Herald online on 25 December 2021 and also in print.
The Waverley Singers were on fine form for their Carols by Candelight at a beautifully decorated St Lawrence Church in Alton on December 4.
A full and appreciative audience joined in with the traditional Christmas favourites. The choir performed a varied programme, from the contemplative, such as A Maiden Most Gentle and Mary’s Lullaby, to the unashamedly jolly, including Jingle Bells and the Wassail Song.
Conductor Richard Pearce was joined by his father, Michael Pearce, singing baritone solos. As the picture shows, they clearly enjoyed performing together.
The choir was accompanied by Philip Scriven, an essential member of the Waverley Singers family, who also delighted the listeners with his impressive organ solos on the magnificent church organ. A retiring collection generously supported the St Lawrence Church Organ Restoration Fund. The choir was delighted to be back singing live.
The 2022 programme starts with a choral workshop on January 15 at South Farnham School, exploring Mozart’s wonderful Mass in C Minor. This will be the main work in a concert at Farnham Maltings on April 3.
The workshop and concert are open to new singers at a reduced membership fee – full details are at waverleysingers.com – and rehearsals are on January 6 and 13.
June 18 will see a performance of Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor, postponed from March 2020 by Covid. It is rare for choral societies to put on this mighty work given the range of orchestral resources required, and the choir hopes for a good audience at St Andrew’s Garrison Church in Aldershot.
The season concludes on July 2 with a joint performance with Romsey Choral Society in Romsey Abbey of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius.
Gallery
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