Kendal Choral Society, Kendal Parish Church

Kendal Choral Society, under the baton of Alan Gardner, presented an interesting if rather sombre programme: two requiems, by John Rutter and Philip Ledger; and then, under the title Kendal Choral Remembers, a spoken presentation of poems, local letters and diaries ‘from the front’ in commemoration of the First World War.

This was a thoughtful and carefully researched presentation which opened with a setting of A E Houseman’s poem On the idle hill of Summer with music by Arthur Somervell, sung with great confidence by Willliam White. The account of the Great War as experienced by Westmorland families was often harrowing and the poetry moving; all was sensitively delivered with the aid of Stephen Lockwood’s photo montage.

The concert began with a performance of John Rutter’s now well-known Requiem, a compilation of words from the Roman Catholic liturgy and psalm texts. This presented the singers with a challenge. The music of this popular composer is by no means as easy to perform as sometimes thought and there were passages in this performance that were a little uncertain. The composer, Philip Ledger, writes in a more accessible idiom and the choir sounded more assured in the performance of his Requiem. The singers were joined by an additional local soloist, soprano Kirsty McLean, and accompanied by a small instrumental ensemble who provided firm support in both works.

Clive Walkley