Levens Choir
St Thomas’s Church, Kendal
Ian Jones and Levens Choir enjoy a challenging and imaginative programme and their concert on the centenary of the birth of Britten was a fitting celebration of this composer’s work.
After an atmospheric A Hymn to the Virgin, interleaving movements of Christ’s Nativity and Cello Sonata was an interesting idea and, while we perhaps lost something in continuity, the aural contrasts were very effective. The choir encountered some pitching problems and insecurities, but there was much to enjoy: the vibrant opening, an expressive dynamic range and lovely solos from Emily Robinson and Gill Smith. Jeremy Lamburn’s playing of the sonata was a superb display of virtuosity and Paul Greenhalgh’s piano accompaniment was excellent.
Then some Schumann - a nice contrast; in Four Songs for Double Chorus the choir seemed unsure in the first, but were more confident in the lively second, expressive third and majestic fourth. An impassioned performance of Three Fantasy Pieces for cello and piano was a joy.
The concert ended with Britten’s setting of Psalm 70 - Deus in Adjutorium Meum. Here, Levens Choir displayed a fine range of vocal colour and the well-controlled ‘dying away’ in the final bars brought this interesting concert to a peaceful close.
Hugh Davies
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