Forthcoming Concerts
19 April 2008 at Southwell Minster - a joint concert with Mansfield Choral Society : Vaughan Williams A SEA SYMPHONY, Parry I WAS GLAD Elgar CELLO CONCERTO, tickets £12 from The Minster Shop, Bingham Library, Music in the Yard, Southwell or by telephone from : 01623 487550 or 01949 839991
10 November 2007 : Mozart 'Requiem' and Haydn 'Te Deum' at St Mary's Church, Radcliffe on Trent.CONTACT 01949 875492 FOR TICKETS OR VISIT BINGHAM OR RADCLIFFE LIBRARY.
Recent Performances
A Passiontide performance of George Frederic Handel’s Messiah was given at Newark’s Barnbygate Methodist Church on Saturday 24 March 2007 under the energetic and precise musical direction of Mr Roger Bryan. This combined effort by Newark and Bingham Choral Societies and the Trent Chamber Academy opened with the chorus singing Behold The Lamb Of God as only parts 2 and 3 of Handel’s work were being sung. We were then treated to the beautifully contralto voice of Carolyn Hawthorne on He Was Despised. The change of mood was very effective as she sang He Gave His Back To The Smiters, the orchestra producing a most sympathetic accompaniment. The choir gave a good account of themselves on the chorus, And With His Stripes We Are Healed. Despite a preponderance of sopranos, the choir’s sound was very balanced, the altos particularly giving a good account of themselves. All We, Like Sheep is a particular favourite of mine and the dramatic change of mood at the end was most effective; again, lower parts were not overwhelmed by the sopranos but acquitted themselves well. The exquisite soprano voice of Faye Newton was a delight on How Beautiful Are The feet. Her voice is eminently suited to Baroque and early music. Richard Rhoddis excelled in a powerful and dramatic rendition of the tenor air, Thou Shalt Break Them. Mr Rhoddis is not afraid of impassioned singing and the audience approved. The famous Hallelujah chorus worked well with the sopranos holding their long notes without wobbling, fading or cracking up. A solid bass line came through very well. It would perhaps help in all performances of this work if at the beginning an announcement was made as to whether the audience was required to stand or sit for this item. Clear-voiced Faye Newton’s I Know That My Redeemer Liveth and If God Be For Us entranced with its sweetness of tone and beautifully controlled dynamics. Trumpet and bass complemented each other well for the air, And The Trumpet Shall Sound. Choir and audience went away with a feeling of a job well done.(adapted from a'Newark Advertiser' review)
Poulenc's Gloria and Bernstein's Chichester Psalms: 13 May, 2006, at Bingham Leisure Centre
This concert featured two of the finest choral works of the second half of the 20th century, and combines rousing rhythmic excitement with great melodic and harmonic beauty. The Poulenc Gloria, for soprano solo, chorus and orchestra was composed in 1959 to a commission by the Koussevitzky Foundation and first performed in Boston, U.S.A., in 1961, two years before the composer's death. Its emotional sincerity and attractive melodic idiom soon established it in the choral repertoire and it remains one of the composer's most popular works.
Leonard Bernstein was one of the most gifted and versatile musical figures of his time, and distinguished himself as a composer who could bridge the gap between the academic and popular worlds of music. His Chichester Psalms, commissioned by the Dean of Chichester Cathedral for the choral festival there in 1965, shows his characteristic dynamic rhythmic energy and warm lyricism and succeeds in combining the influence of Stravinsky with idioms derived from jazz and popular American music.
Faure's Cantique de Jean Racine, the best known of his shorter choral pieces, was originally written with organ accompaniment, but is here given in an arrangement by John Rutter for lower strings and harp. Our concert is completed by two orchestral works: Malcolm Arnold's stirring Little Suite No.2 and Faure's attractive Masques et Bergamasques.
In May 2002 the choir travelled to Belgium, where we sang Vivaldi's Gloria with Kortrijks Vocaal Ensemble. November 2004 saw a very successful return visit, with the Kortrijk Vocaal Ensemble and Chamber Choir Ultreya from Tielt joining us in Newark Parish Church to sing Faure's Requiem and a newly commissioned work by Kurt Bikkembergs - see below for full concert report.In November 02 we joined with members of the Scunthorpe & District Choral Society to sing Mozart's Mass in C Minor at St Mary's Church, Lace Market, Nottingham and then at the Baths Hall, Scunthorpe. Newark Choral Society invited us to join them in singing Durufle's Requiem in May 2003 in Newark Parish Church.
December 05 Concert Report
"We are really looking forward to the next concert" was the verdict of many members of the audience after Saturday's concert by the Bingham and District Choral Society in St Mary's church, Radcliffe on Trent. The revitalised choir was joined by the Bingham Concert Orchestra, led by David Wood and an excellent quartet of young soloists, Lianne Skriniar,(Sop) Sue Mars,(Mezzo) Nicholas Garrett (Bass) and Eamonn Mulhall (Tenor) in a stimulating programme of choral and orchestral music, conducted by Neville Ward.
Handel wrote "Let Thy Hand be Strengthened" for the coronation of George l l in 1727.The choir did full justice to the great importance which Handel always gave to the chorus, singing strongly and clearly, helped by sympathetic acoustics. Bach's best known cantata "Sleepers, Wake", describing the parable of the wise and foolish virgins, produced more confident singing with subtle variations of tone and crisp articulation. The beautiful oboe accompaniment of Hilary Oleson was a particular delight.
The antiphonal effect of Vivaldi's Concerto in C major for two trumpets was thrilling, played so powerfully by Geoff Weeks and Huw Thomas. Despite an abundance of orchestral compositions, Vivaldi wrote only two for a pair of trumpets. This performance was a rare treat. "When I think of God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes flow like a fountain" and indeed, Haydn's "Nelson Mass" demonstrated to perfection his emotions. From the dramatic start, the singing was powerful and energetic. There were moments of nobility and grandeur and others of simple description. The soloists sang with elation, joyous and convincing. The choir was focussed and impressive.
We should indeed look forward with happy anticipation to the next concert in May 2006.
Hilary Mellows 5.12.2005
November 04 Concert Report
On Saturday 6th November 2004, Bingham and District Choral Society held their autumn concert in Newark Parish Church. In this week of Remembrance, it was a particularly moving and memorable experience. The Bingham and District Choral Society were joined by the Kortrijks Vocaal Ensemble, a group of Flemish singers from Bingham's associate choirs in Belgium, and the 16 members of the Ultreya Tielt chamber choir, for a well balanced programme of English and Belgian music.
The strings of the Bingham Concert Orchestra, led by David Wood, conducted by Neville Ward, shone to excellent advantage with delicate and refined playing, in Elgar's serenade for Strings in E minor. An essentially English piece, it was a tranquil start to the evening. A different, more intense serenity followed, with Kurt Bikkembergs' "Laudes Pro Defunctis". This was the first performance of a commissioned work on death and affliction, with orchestration complementary to John Rutter's Requiem which it was to precede. A candlelit procession held the audience spellbound as the Belgian choirs approached the platform. Conducted by Wim Verdonck, they sang with professional assurance. The dramatic impact was spine chilling with much of the atmosphere of John Taverner's Hymn to Athene. Hilde Coppe, an experienced Belgian soprano, was stunning, singing with remarkable evenness and control and glorious top notes. The tension was relieved by 2 movements from John Ireland's Minuet and Elegy, a work inspired by his love of the Sussex Downs.
John Rutter wrote his Requiem in 1985 in memory of his father. The combined Belgian and Bingham choirs, under the sensitive baton of Neville Ward, completed a memorable evening with emotional intensity and colour. The diction was excellent and the Agnus Dei showed up a strong alto line. The oboe brought beautiful, gentle support to the 23rd Psalm. This was indeed an unforgettable evening. The large audience was ecstatic and had it been less reticent, there would surely have been a standing ovation!
Page last updated Apr 2006
