Strathaven Choral Society - Autumn 1999 Concerts

STRATHAVEN Choral Society continued its commendable 'outreach' work with a concert which took place recently in Uddingston Old Pansh Church. The three works spanned centuries and styles and rightly ignored the whims of passing musical fashions.
         Parry's 'Blest Pair of Sirens', to words by Milton, used to be part of the staple diet of all choral societies but its Victorian richness of sound has not been to recent musical tastes. Now a bit of a rarity, it was a pleasure to hear it sung with such confidence in the work itself.
         Vivaldi, the composer of the succeeding Gloria, seems to be enjoying a revival of interest these days. The work deserves to be adopted again by choirs as it is enjoyable and rewarding for both singers and audience.
         After a rather straight-faced performance of the opening movement, the choir settled into the spirit of the work and caught its changing moods. It was especially encouraging to hear the solos and duets being taken by members of the choir itself. Linda Young, Hazel Black and Eileen Robertson were all musically accomplished with the first-named maintaining a particularly clear and poised line in Domine Deus.
         New to the society's repertoire was Durufle's Requiem, a rather enigmatic work of 20th century harmonies but based on a mixture of Gregorian chants and Gallic lyricism. There is a deceptive simplicity to the work but the choir obviously had been thoroughly rehearsed to meet its challenges.
         In interpretative conviction, however, they still sounded somewhat tentative. Although the Requiem is mainly quiet and contemplative, it needs a special type of persuasion in performance.
         This does not denigrate their achievements, with some lovely singing as in the Sanctus. The phrases sung by two boys from St. Mary's Episcopal Choir added an extra musical dimension while the Pie Jesu was quite beautiful with Clare Wilson's delicate soprano and Catherine Young's warm cello line blending in trio with the organ.
         Indeed, the organist requires the highest praise for his accompaniment throughout the concert. Peter Backhouse's playing was supportive, sensitive and imaginative.
         The security and technical ability of the choir was the result of the excellent training in rehearsal by their conductor, David Hamilton. In performance, he displayed both the choir and the works they sang to great advantage.
         The acoustics of the church added to the atmosphere. In such a setting, the large, appreciative audience must have echoed Milton's words that 'the melodious noise" kept "in tune with heaven."
                          I. M. ROBERT