'Bruckner and the Renaissance' - Levens Choir with the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble, St George's Church, Kendal

WE HAVE come to expect a lot from conductor Ian Jones and Levens Choir: imaginative programming, purposeful tempi, a wide dynamic range, good diction, attention to melodic line whichever part it's in and exemplary intonation and blending of voices. Saturday evening's concert did not disappoint in any of these categories. Indeed, I'm not sure I've heard them sing better.

The choir is blessed with an excellent range of voices, young and older. In particular, the sopranos met the challenges of frequent visits to the upper register effortlessly, not least in Bruckner's Os Justi and Ecce Sacerdos. But, it would be wrong to single out the sopranos; there is excellence in all registers, though, very occasionally I might have wanted more 'underpinning' in the unaccompanied items.

For good measure, we also heard the English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble on period instruments. They brought a rich sonority to proceedings, and some delightful and virtuosic 'interludes'. The combined choral and instrumental items were splendid, Gabrieli's In Ecclesias bringing the concert to a glorious conclusion.

This concert, supported by the Sir John Fisher Foundation, marked the culmination of Levens Choir's 40th anniversary year. It was a fitting tribute to all those years enriching the musical life of North West England.

JOHN HILEY