South Bucks Choral Society at Eton College - Review (From Bucks Free Press)

South Bucks Choral Society at Eton College - Review

3:31pm Monday 27th April 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

En route to Eton College, where the Amersham Festival held its Mozart Concert, it struck me that I could easily review it at home without attending, writes Stan Meares.

For Mozart is a composer of absolute genius, so the music will reflect this, and the South Bucks Choral Society and the Amersham Festival Chamber Orchestra under their inspiring, dynamic conductor, Iain Ledingham, rarely put a foot wrong. These musings proved absolutely correct, proved by a tremendous final reception..

The first part began with Symphony No 39, described as reflecting “happiness” by Julius Harrison, a composer who left behind him several pleasant pieces. This is a marvellous description, especially the clarinet melodies in the third movement. which exude happiness.

Then came the very brief, popular and very beautiful Ave Verum Corpus.

There followed the Requiem, completed after Mozart’s death, mainly by Sussmayr. Musicologists love to argue over who composed and who arranged this or that. The answers are readily available, but it would take a real expert to assess what was Mozart and what Sussmayr through listening alone. Plainly there was much cross-fertilisation between the two, so does it really matter?

Control of the Choir was highly disciplined. Their precision and attack was splendid. Which reminds me mention the timpanist. As at last week’s Semele - he is not afraid to wallop his drums furiously.

Finally the talented young soloists - Ana Schwedhelm, Fu Qjan, Alexander Sprague and Callum Thorpe - who all sang excellently. Two, I wager, could have big futures (if they can act) in Opera..

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)