There was a good audience to greet the Selly Park Singers, and I was delighted by the variety of pieces on the programme, entitled ‘To the Moon…and Bach’, directed by Paul Carr and accompanied by Richard Price.
Despite the dryness of the acoustic, the sound was very pleasant, and the choir sang with spirit and perfect diction. On the whole they were well balanced, but I would have liked the sopranos to have been stronger in places.
…the choir sang with spirit and perfect diction. … the close harmony of Moon River was excellently tuned and everyone was following Paul’s expertly clear beat.
To pick out a few pieces: Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring had a beautiful flow with the piano; the jazz tempo of Moonglow was precise and the dynamics good; the close harmony of Moon River was excellently tuned, and everyone was following Paul’s expertly clear beat.
In the more challenging pieces of Blue Moon, Parry’s My Soul, there is a country and Haydn’s Insanae et vanae cura, the choir was sometimes not together – similarly in Haydn’s The Heavens are telling, though the semi chorus gave a strong effective performance and the choir more than made up in joyous enthusiasm!
I had heard the choir singing Joanna Forbes L’Estrange’s Cosy Indoors (while outside it pours), a version of Vivaldi’s Winter from The Four Seasons, when they premiered it last year. It was very effective and the choir perfectly captured the mood of the piece.
Lynn Davies played two jazzy contrasting pieces on the piano with energy and sensitivity.
The final piece, The Rhythm of Life, was a highlight, concluding a very enjoyable concert and well received by the audience who then descended on the excellent cakes provided afterwards! Thank you, Selly Park Singers.
Merryn Lloyd
