Witham Choral Society Press Releases

WITHAM CHORAL SOCIETY CONCERT APRIL 2 2011

FAVOURITE MOZART IN COGGESHALL

MOZART REQUIEM, VIVALDI GLORIA

MOZART’S Requiem is like the proverbial London bus. You wait years for a performance, and then two come along together. It was just a few months ago that I reviewed another performance of Mozart’s masterpiece on these pages.
With Vivaldi’s Gloria in the programme as well, this was a blockbuster of a bill, and the audience certainly did not leave disappointed.
Vivaldi’s Gloria was well controlled throughout, with several moments of great beauty adding much to the performance. Gill Wilson (soprano) used her light timbre to good effect in her delightful solo aria, and she combined beautifully with the solo oboe. Elaine Henson (mezzo soprano) sang with a freshness of tone, sometimes adding a slightly darker-toned intensity to the drama. The choral style was relaxed, and the perfect balance between choir and orchestra was a joy.
The rendition of Mozart’s Requiem was also polished and well-balanced. John Upperton (tenor) was richly lyrical and commanding, and Stephen Holloway (bass) held the attention of the audience with his resonant and mellifluous tones. When joined by the two upper voice soloists, the quartet was seamlessly matched. The chorus responded to every nuance of the score and sang the work with great feeling.
Special mention must be made of the conductor, Patrick McCarthy, who competently controlled his forces.
So often one leaves a concert thinking it was good, but the orchestra too loud. On this occasion, the orchestra did not dominate the singers. It was well worth the wait for this double decker performance of two greats of classical music, Mozart and Vivaldi.

DAVID WOOD – Braintree & Witham Times

In preparation for the next concert

Patrick has been a notable figure on the local area musical scene for over twenty years

He was trained as a singer at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the London Opera Centre. His operatic and singing career has taken him all over the British Isles and Europe. Music lovers may remember his dramatic rescue of a Prom performance of Carmina Burana back in 1974.