The Counterpoint Choir and Orchestra

conducted by their Artistic Director,

Aanna Colls

     at Eastbourne Town Hall

   Saturday, March 17th,2007 at 7.30pm

Programme     

Bach's Cantata 190a

Vaughan Williams’ Lark Ascending

Vaughan Williams' Benedicite

Carter's Musick's Jubilee

COUNTERPOINT AT EASTBOURNE TOWN HALL
ROBIN GREGORY REVIEWS THEIR SPRING CONCERT

The Counterpoint Choir and Orchestra are certainly ambitious. Already planning a five day Festival at Herstmonceux Castle in late June, they still found time to prepare a demanding Spring Concert in the Town Hall for March 17th. Bach is always taxing, and with the remainder of the programme entirely twentieth century music they (as the northerners say) ‘set their basket down’.

The theme throughout was praise and delight. Bach’s Cantata 190A opened with the jubilation wonderfully caught by choir, orchestra and conductor (Aanna Colls). Soloists, Sonia Phillips, Paul Doling and David Irvine coped well with their German recitatives, though an English version might have been preferable for a mainly British audience.

Vaughan Williams’ ‘The Lark Ascending’ for solo violin evokes the English countryside on a warm and cloudless day. Best known with orchestra, it received here a memorable performance in the Violin and Piano version which, in some ways, helps one to focus on the music’s structure. Charles Tait drew exquisite sounds from his instrument, soaring until lost in the heavens, as the lark’s song. Francis Rayner gave imaginative and perfectly-judged support. As we have come to take for granted with Counterpoint, we had a handsome printed programme which reproduced part of the Meredith poem which inspired the composer.

Then more Vaughan Williams: his Benedicite, first performed in Dorking in 1929 with the composer conducting. Counterpoint chose the version for soprano (Kate Laird), piano (Franis Rayner again) and strings (The Burlington Strings led by Charles Tait). The singer rejoiced in the composer’s imaginative vocal writing (he was a supreme songwriter), and the choir enjoyed every nuance of this little masterpiece.

In the second half, more V-W (Antiphon), with choir and pianist in perfect accord; and then the item we all viewed with suspicion: Andrew Carter’s ‘Musick’s Jubilee’, written as recently as 1993. This turned out to be the work we can now all quote to prove that twentieth century music can be tuneful. We had all the words (hooray): settings of Marvell, Dryden and Tennyson; eight sections of unalloyed delight. The choir sang superbly. Soloists Lindsey Kirkbright and Tricia Roussell were at their best. The orchestra showed every aspect of its versatility, with notable solos from wood-wind, cello and timpani. David Force tweaked his electronic organ with his accustomed musical flair, and Aanna Colls held her forces together with the discipline of a smiling sergeant-major. The conclusion of a great evening!