Masterful performance by Cumbria Baroque Choir (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Masterful performance by Cumbria Baroque Choir

10:30am Friday 11th November 2011 in Gig and concert reviews By Gazette newsdesk

Cumbria Baroque Choir

St Thomas’ Church, Kendal

AN EXCITING evening was hosted by Cumbria Baroque Choir with members of St Laurence Singers. This comfortable venue provides an excellent atmosphere and acoustic.

Dvorak’s Mass in D is not performed frequently enough. This dazzling, melodious piece with rich harmonies and complex structure makes considerable demands on choir and soloists. Conducted with assurance by Margaret Pattinson, this challenge was met. Solos, executed by voices within the choir contributed to a balanced performance, subtly underpinned by the organ accompaniment. This apparently effortless rendering belied the work’s difficulty and the performers’ competence.

Vivaldi’s Concerto in C for two trumpets was interspersed between the choral items. Peter Crowther and Stella Fitzgerald, from Kendal, amazed with their technical skill and their synchronicity. The organ accompaniment had interesting improvisations in the organ solos.

The final piece, Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, was conducted sensitively by Anna Ridding, who took up the baton exchanging the role of soprano soloist with Margaret Pattinson. Again, soloists were within the choir, which was reduced to fewer voices for a different but nevertheless effective balance.

The organ was played throughout sensitively and competently by Ian Pattinson whose ability to achieve just the right balance to compliment the choir is masterful.

Marion Swan