All the best celebrations need champagne and fireworks, and, musically, Hertford Christmas Celebration Concert was fizzing with both. With a glittering brass fanfare in Monteverdi's Vespers, Hertford Symphony Orchestra and Hertford Choral Society were on their feet to welcome the festive season in great style. Happily, with the exuberant participation of the audience required in seven of the carols, we could all be part of the performance. The good humour of conductors Gerry Cornelius and Derek Harrison directing the music, encouraging the audience and making light of the squeals of feedback from the microphone during the second half, kept everyone in high spirits. This was no mean feat considering the variety of the programme and the two world premieres it contained.

Peter Warlock's three carols were a serene offering from the choir and orchestra with the sound of dancing pipes accompanying the sweetly sung Tyrley, Tyrlow, the gentle humming in the beautiful lullaby Balulalow,
and the merry sound of bell, chimes and all manner of percussion in the first airing of I saw three ships, in the carol The Sycamore Tree. Their next group of songs included Donkey Plod and Mary Ride, with the story- telling split between the men and ladies with lovely depth and harmonies when their voices combined, another lullaby The Little Road to Bethlehem and the world premiere of The Mystery of Christmas by choir member and gifted musician, Harold Chaplin. This delightful creation, dedicated to Derek Harrison and Hertford Choral Society, showed the choir at its best. The unaccompanied theme, based on the text ‘and they shall call his name Emmanuel’ grew in tone and texture from the beat tapped out on rhythm sticks by Harold Chaplin, finally fading back softly into the original beat. It seemed a very lovely and personal experience for the whole of the choral society.

What a contrast with the free for all of the next piece, the Christmas Canon No.2 by Jaques Cohen. With Gerry Cornelius challenging the audience to sing Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat in four parts - we had a whale of a time! Next came a taste of Austria from the orchestra, with the elegant Sleigh Ride attributed to Mozart, complete with pitched bells and glorious brass.

After the interval, the warm sound of Saxidentals, the senior saxophone ensemble from Simon Balle School, under director Clare Taylor, performed a jazzy version of We Three Kings. This featured a very fluent solo on soprano sax by the accomplished player, Dan Smith.

Next, the three ships sailed back again in John Rutter’s arrangement, making use of the words ‘and he did whistle and she did sing’ to appropriate and enjoyable effect. Jonathan Smith's Christmas Medley then had us singing along and relishing the marvellous flourish of soprano voices, trumpets and drums of the ending. By this time the party atmosphere had really taken hold and it was lovely to see the smiles of the choir as they sang the Hollywood-inspired Christmas Medley by David Snell, including a violin solo by leader Margaret Holder. Leroy Anderson's vivacious Sleigh Ride could only add to the fun careering gaily along with the whinnying trumpet call of John Tognarelli as its trademark ending.

The grand finale came as the world premiere performance of Ian Harrold's A Merry Christmas. The composer has a long association with Hertford musical life and could not have penned a more ebullient ending to the evening. Every single musician was involved, from the orchestra, the saxophonists, the smoothly-singing choir and even the organ in the jubilant final fanfare to see in Christmas with a spectacular bang.

I am sure the retiring collection for the Cystic Fibrosis Society and the Parkinson Disease Society (Harlow), reflected the huge enjoyment and goodwill generated by such an excellent event.

Rose Pullum

The concert brought together music from the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries, some inspired by the writings of Shakespeare and Tennyson.

Harwood’s grand anthem ‘O how Glorious’ opened proceedings and gave the choir an opportunity to shine, with soaring melodies floating gently from the soprano ranks and rich well balanced harmonies from the gentlemen. This set the mood for the ethereal ‘Song for Athene’ - a short unaccompanied piece written by Sir John Tavener in 1994 following the death of a close family friend. This was treated in a very sensitive way by the choir in contrast to the more emotive performance given at Princess Diana’s funeral. Haunting harmonies quietly unfolded over sustained drones from the basses leading to an ecstatic climax before the music softly drifted to a close.

Michael Berkeley, eldest son of Sir Lennox, was brought up in the English choral tradition and served as a chorister at Westminster Cathedral. His musical credentials are impressive with study at the Royal Academy and tutelage from his godfather Benjamin Britten. Later, he went on to study with Richard Rodney Bennett. His evocative setting of words from the ‘Song of Solomon’ was beautifully sung by the choir with well managed contrasts between the more sonorous and dissonant sections. The organ sounds were used effectively here by accompanist Peter Jaekel to convey the mystical feelings of the work. His organ solo that followed – ‘Wild Bells’ also by Michael Berkeley – created an entirely different soundscape. Peter drew on the full tonal resources of the Willis organ in this exciting virtuosic work which included angular fanfares from the organ’s trumpets, evocative solo sections from the quieter stops and perhaps a parody of Westminster chimes as a final flourish.

The 150th anniversary of Elgar’s birth is celebrated this year and his great anthem ‘Give unto the Lord’ (Psalm 29) was a fitting tribute. Here the choir came into their own in the quieter middle section and conveyed the prayerful feel of the word. Conductor Derek Harrison mustered suitable gravity from the choir in the more energetic outer sections, but perhaps a brisker pace would have helped here.

A further psalm setting - this time Psalm 100 - was Mendelssohn’s ‘Jauchzet dem Herrn’. This displayed the choir’s a capella style of singing very well with an excellent blend of voices and impressive intonation.

Alan Bullard’s lively work ‘Cantate Gloria’ with playful rhythms and catchy phrases thrown from one section of the choir to another brought the first half to a close on a high note.

Two extended settings of texts by Shakespeare and Tennyson filled the second half and gave ample opportunity for the choir to explore the colourful styles of Vaughan Williams and Stanford.

Peter Jaekel, now at the piano, gave excellent support to the choir in both works which were originally conceived with full orchestral accompaniment.

Here the subject matter defined the musical treatment, the romance of Shakespeare contrasted with the patriotic battle story of Tennyson.- the light and darkness of a Vaughan Williams’ ‘Serenade to Music’ with the blood and thunder of Stanford’s ‘The Revenge’- an account of a famous Elizabethan naval battle. After all the technical challenges of the first half, the choir settled comfortably into this more narrative choral style and conductor Derek Harrison was able to shape both works to great dramatic effect. Huge demands were made on all sections of the choir, particularly in Stanford’s epic work and all rose to the occasion admirably. There was real drama here with vivid textures, crisp rhythms and excellent diction.

Hats off again to an adventurous Choral Society, willing and able to embrace the challenges of both new and established musical traditions. Congratulations to all who contributed time and effort bring us such an enjoyable evening.

Christopher Benham

A thrilled audience, in a packed All Saints Church, was able to hear a wonderful concert of baroque music last Saturday evening. Music of the baroque period still inspires and the two giants of that period, Handel and Bach, provided the demanding music. The Handel was the lesser-known Laudate pueri Dominum, followed by two Bach cantatas, numbers 191 and 156, and ending with the popular Magnificat in D.

Julia Doyle and Alice Gribbin, who was educated locally, were the two delightful soprano soloists, having many contributions in solo and ensemble items. Nicholas Mulroy and Jonathan Brown were newcomers to Hertford while Timothy Travers-Brown was making a reappearance. Some bass recitative made for less rewarding listening but was nevertheless delivered sincerely. The tenor had difficulty in projecting the lower register, but otherwise had an effortless flow of silvery tone. There was lovely artistry to be heard by all soloists in stylishly phrased and sensitive singing.

The London Pro Arte Baroque Orchestra was making its first visit to Hertford and provided a knowledgeable contribution to the performances. There was exuberant string playing in true chamber music fashion, with sublime baroque flutes, oboes, timpani and valveless trumpets. The chamber organ provided firm support though a little reticent at times.

The choral writing of both Handel and Bach makes great use of florid, instrumental style writing as well as solid harmony. The choir showed the required stamina to maintain disciplined, and many times, exciting singing. The division into many parts was met with confidence with the character of each chorus having purpose and direction. The mood of the opening work was effectively set with the plainsong antiphon opening the performance. Diction was good in the generous acoustic of All Saints Church, with the choir alert to details of phrasing. The conductor, Derek Harrison, over many years, has developed the choral society into a
responsive body of singers, keeping fresh-toned singing throughout the evening.

From the many comments heard afterwards, it was obvious that the evening had been very much enjoyed and appreciated.

David Penrose

I hope we all have such a Merry Christmas!

Rose Pullum

Exactly 159 years ago, almost to the minute, the composer, Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy died from a stroke at the early age of 38 on 4th November 1847. Perhaps it was coincidence that Hertford Choral Society performed The Hebrides Overture on Saturday 4th November at the Hertford venue before a large audience but this opening to the concert was an appropriate memorial to the German composer.

The Milton Keynes City Orchestra was one I had not heard before but I was very impressed by their string tone and overall quality of their musicianship under Leader Diana Cummings and the Choral Society’s regular conductor, Derek Harrison.

The Hebrides is one of those oh so familiar pieces that one tends to think of as being hackneyed and although I have not heard it played at a live concert for many years it once again captured the vision of a romantic seascape with all its power and majesty.

Whereas I had not heard the above for many years, I have not heard Mendelssohn’s arrangement of Psalm 95 ever. I may not recognise it again but the music was typical Mendelssohn through and through in the best Victorian tradition.

The Choir was joined by Tenor Mark Chaundy, Soprano Mary Bevan and Mezzo Lucy Taylor, whose mother is a member of the choir. The Soprano Duet was a delight, their smiles lighting up the stage.

The male Chorus had a brief ‘wobbly’ moment but soon recovered enabling us to enjoy this wonderfully stirrring, melodic work.

There was no lack of familiarity after the interval with Mozart’s Requiem Mass That never fails to grip the heart, mind and spirit of listener and participants alike. The story of the composition of this great work is well known and there is still no definitive answer as to who wrote what. This is irrelevant as this is great music by any measure.

Choir Orchestra and Soloists combined, were joined by William Townend, Bass, gave a memorable and moving performance which received appreciative response from the capacity audience. All looks well for the coming season.

Wendy Keeling Taylor
5th November

All Saints’ Church, decorated in a red and green theme, was warmly inviting, the capacity audience joining the choir and orchestra with Hark! The Herald Angels Sing after Christians, be joyful from Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. In contrast, John Rutter’s movingly beautiful Nativity Carol was a time for quiet reflection before Derek Harrison conducted the unaccompanied choir singing three charming and little known medieval carols telling the nativity story.

Following two rousing community carols there was the unusual, but nevertheless welcome, inclusion in a Christmas programme, of Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances from the opera, Prince Igor. The vitality of this piece warmed conductor Stuart Stratford and audience alike, but although this is often performed in a purely orchestral version it seemed a pity that, with an excellent choir on hand, not to have heard them adding to the general excitement. On the other hand, I was made aware of some orchestral detail, particularly the delicate playing of Leader, Margaret Holter. It was a pleasure to see the rapport between her and the conductor.

The powerful king of instruments was ably demonstrated by Organist, Peter Jaekel in the finale of Saint-Saëns’ last movement from The Organ Symphony, the percussionists adding to the overall sonority.

Derek Harrison conducted a beautiful and tender Italian lullaby, Once as I remember followed by an excerpt from Mendelssohn’s Christus with soloist Jane Turner before we were all encouraged by Stuart, to sing While Shepherds Watched in the manner of BBC Radio Four’s programme, I’m Sorry I Haven’t A Clue’s ‘One Song to the Tune of Another’, to the tune of the Lincolnshire Poacher! The resultant vigorous participation definitely had the WOW factor.

Delius’ delightful Sleigh Ride preceded a rousing version of O Come, All Ye Faithful bringing the concert to a fitting climax before the audience left the church to go out into the below zero temperature, although doubtless warmed by experiencing a joyful concert.

The retiring collection will be divided between the Alzheimer’s Society and the Nicola Hunt Trust Fund for Young Musicians.

Wendy Keeling Taylor

There were several choral ‘mountains to climb’ in terms of the tricky score and a Hebrew text so the preparations which produced such a confident expression of the work’s varied emotions, might rate it as one of the Society’s most satisfying successes.

Amidst the blaze of percussion and brass at the start, the tenors and basses performed impressively. Special mention must go to the female percussionist for the amazing array of effects produced throughout the evening.

The second movement, Psalm 23, introduced the crystal clear voice of counter-tenor Timothy Travers-Brown, with harp accompaniment. It is hard to imagine any better portrayal of the Psalm of David sung by David himself. The haunting song of the ladies and the strings of the orchestra completed the spell. But soon the mood changed to the discordant rage of Psalm 2, before the cellos, violins and chorus restored the calm and hope of Psalm 131. A final plea for peace and unity, gained great impact from being sung as an unaccompanied chorus and the work ended with a gentle, slightly mystical theme from the orchestra.

Next, Boccherini’s Cello Concerto No 3, performed by slender young cellist Katherine Denton, took us back to the more constrained musical forms of the eighteenth century. Though newly graduated, (with first class honours) from the Royal Academy of Music, Katherine is already a highly experienced performer which shows in the ease and assuredness of her faultless technique. She had no need for superfluous theatrical gestures for expression - her music said it all. This made for an excellent rapport with the orchestra – and the audience loved her for it.

If the first half of the concert provided a choral challenge, the second provided a celebration, in the form of Haydn’s Nelson Mass. You had only to look around the Church, specially decorated with flags, to think of the great naval victory at Trafalgar.

Saturday’s powerful performance had an equally triumphant effect. You might even say that a careful ‘battle plan’ from conductor Derek Harrison, in his fine choice of soloists comprising Philippa Hyde, soprano, Jeremy Budd, tenor, Thomas Blunt, bass, and Timothy Travers-Brown, counter-tenor, was the key to success. They excelled both as individuals and in combination, so the well-matched was the character of their voices.

It was clear that the Choir were looking forward to singing this Mass and the same enjoyment shone out in Phillipa Hyde’s beautiful voice and lovely smile. It was a delight to hear Jeremy Budd back at All Saints’ as a fine lyrical tenor with a host of exciting engagements to his name.

The pause before the start of the Sanctus, so carefully controlled, gave an effective contrast to the glittering orchestral celebrations and trumpet fanfare of the Benedictus which followed. Best of all, Admiral Harrison and the entire crew, survived to perform another day!

Rose Pullum

The annual Christmas carol concert given jointly by the Hertford Choral Society and the Hertford Symphony Orchestra is an event looked forward to by large numbers of people, judging by the difficulty of obtaining tickets and the capacity audience filling All Saints’ Church last Saturday. This year their expectations were not disappointed, in fact opinions canvassed afterwards agreed that this was one of the very best anyone could remember. Both choir and Orchestra performed to their highest standard, and with the assistance of the choir of St. Andrew's Primary School and of Kevin O'Donnell, the baritone soloist, produced an atmosphere of seasonal joy and goodwill to men, fit to melt the hardest, most cynical heart.

Directed with unflagging energy by Derek Harrison, the choir led the audience in carols, most of which were the familiar favourites, but including some where the tune had to be learnt from scratch, to which everyone responded with enthusiasm and eventually with reasonable accuracy. The choir in its individual numbers sang with unfailing beauty of tone and sensitive dynamic range. Their first group of carols began with the 17th Century Echo Carol, for which a number of singers moved to the back of the church, where they remained to enhance the effect of the next two pieces, Quem Pastores and Benjamin Britten's Hymn to the Virgin. The latter, written when the composer was only 17, was particularly effective performed in this way, and the choir's clarity and careful phrasing did justice to its beauty.

Kevin O'Donnell, an old friend of the Choral Society, sang two sets of pieces which ranged in style from solemnity to roistering fun. His first set was of three carols, backed with careful sensitivity by the choir: John Rutter's arrangement of Down in yon Forest, the least familiar, followed by Up Good Christian Folk and Listen and the old and well-loved Three Kings by Peter Cornelius. In the second half of the programme, however, following a serenely lovely African Crib Carol by F. Roy Bennett, he treated us to an astonishing Irish music-hall song about the horrors of Mrs. Hooligan's Christmas cake, explaining that he had been asked to find something which had never been sung in the church before, and opining that it was unlikely that it ever would be again. He followed this with Sterndale Bennett's The Carol Singers, which put us in the mood for an unusual feature: the opportunity for four volunteers to conduct the choir, Orchestra and audience in The First Nowell, which they accomplished without mishap and with obvious enjoyment.

The Orchestra was under the direction of their guest conductor, Stuart Stratford for their individual items, and in the first half of the concert they played two dances from Smetana's The Bartered Bride with style and considerable virtuosity. Their second contribution was one of the less familiar scenes from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, the Snow Scene, which also showed off the quality of the players to great advantage.

The choir of St. Andrew's Primary School gave us a delightful interlude with three carols, Rocking, the Calypso Carol, and When a child is born in which the children showed a confidence and enjoyment in performing which is remarkable as some of them are still very young and the choir itself is still quite new. They were directed firmly but unobtrusively by Alison Broomfield and accompanied by Harold Chaplin. They were also given the challenge of leading the left-hand half of the audience while Kevin O'Donnell took charge of the right in a Christopher Brown arrangement of the round `Tis Christmas Time" in which they helped us to hold our own against embellishments from the chorus and Orchestra.

This item was followed by one of the evening's most telling moments, when the soaring voices of the HCS sopranos singing the beautiful melody of Walford Davies' O little Town changed the atmosphere instantly from jollity to rapt serenity by the loveliness of the sound. This contrast was one of the many examples of the thoughtful planning of the event in which, under Derek Harrison's inspiring direction, both singers and players excelled themselves, and the audience was given an evening of truly memorable enjoyment.

S.H.

Beethoven’s Egmont Overture, familiar and welcoming, was beautifully played with a good balance between strings, woodwind and brass establishing the triumphant tone for the remainder of the evening. Next came Dvorak’s Te Deum, announced in strident Slavic style by the bells, drums and brass of the orchestra. I am ashamed to admit to years of reciting the Te Deum parrot-fashion, but to hear such a clear depiction of the words as was next performed, was a real eye-opener. In the Sanctus, soloist Fiona Louise Campbell’s heavenly soprano voice, supported by the ladies of the Choral Society, was as fine an example of angel song as you could imagine. Similarly the ranks of male singers marched to the drumbeat as a convincing ’noble army of martyrs’.

The fine bass tones of soloist David Campbell described a glorious God accompanied robustly by the male chorus and (sometimes) over powerful brass section. But there were lovely gentler moments too as the men and women in turn beseeched their Lord to ‘save thy people and bless thine heritage’.

The final movement was spectacular with the voice of Fiona Louise Campbell soaring effortlessly above it all. Warmth and comfort poured from the orchestra in response to a chorus of ‘O Lord, in thee I have trusted, let me never be confounded’ and cymbals and brass augmented the words of all the singers to ‘praise and magnify Him forever. Alleluja.’ This really was praise on a grand scale.

After the interval with plenty of time to enjoy a glass of wine and socialise, the programme resumed with the challenge of Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2, the Lobgesang.

The three continuous orchestral movements which opened the work moved from grandeur to piety in mood to set the scene for an opening chorus of praise in ‘All men, all things’, (including the church organ!). This was followed by the first solo from soprano Anne Wright with beautifully clear diction and good support from the consistently angelic ladies chorus.

Just as lovely was the famous soprano duet ‘I waited for the Lord’, a delightful piece for the well-matched voices of the lady soloists.

When tenor Bradley Daley took to the stage he brought the words of ’Sing ye praise’ to life. This was a masterclass in expression and interpretation, plus the pleasure of hearing such a fine voice. A later solo ‘The sorrows of death’ containing lines such as ‘Watchman, will the night soon pass’ were a gift to the operatic skills of such an imaginative singer and introduced Fiona’s next solo ‘The night is departing’ a joyous greeting to a new beginning.

The powerful chorus of the same theme which then followed was not just the sound of a new dawn breaking, it was exploding! And why not? This was a message about changing the world, not watching the sun rise.

The unaccompanied chorus of ‘Let all men praise the Lord’, instantly recognisable as the hymn ‘Now thank we all our God’, was the next highlight, but now the momentum was building to the drama of the final chorus. I can only wonder at how Derek Harrison maintained control and balance of orchestra and chorus at this point, like a tightrope walker above the raging Niagara Falls, the force of the voices alone could have swayed you. But it all came together as an uplifting whole, the result of powerful music performed with passion, (and perspiration!).

Hertford Choral Society’s next performance at All Saints’ is on Saturday, 11th December. This will be its Christmas concert given jointly with Hertford Symphony Orchestra (conductor Stuart Stratford) with Kevin O’Donnell (baritone) and Hertford St. Andrews School Choir.

Rose Pullum