Haydn - Nelson Mass
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 30 Oct 2009
Haydn - Te Deum
Mozart - Clarinet Concerto
Haydn - Nelson Mass
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
London Mozart Players
Simon Halsey - Conductor
Ruby Hughes - soprano
Caryl Hughes - mezzo
Sean Clayton - tenor
Simon Lobelson - bass
Angela Malsbury - clarinet
LEICESTER MERCURY
05/11/09
LONDON MOZART PLAYERS, Conductor – Simon Halsey
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER
30
Review by Malcolm Warner
IN AUGUST 1798 the British Navy under Nelson soundly thrashed the French at Aboukir in Egypt.
That same month, Haydn had just completed the third of his six sublime late mass settings. Known originally as Missa in Angustiis -the Mass in Fearful Times - the work soon became known as the Nelson Mass, and Nelson himself probably heard it performed in 1800.
This year saw the 200th anniversary of Haydn's death and, in celebration, the Leicester Philharmonic Choir and London Mozart Players under the energetic direction of Simon Halsey gave a fine performance of this great work.
The choral and orchestral forces were well balanced, Haydn in those straitened times added only trumpets, timpani, and organ to the strings, and the crispness and attack of the timpani - played with hard sticks - gave a clarity to the rhythmic impulse.
The four soloists, who otherwise sang well, seemed to have rather small voices which did not really carry in a hall of this size.
Haydn started the concert too, the second of his Te Deums, again in an excellent performance, showing the choir and orchestra's response to this conductor, attentive to every mood of the music.
Mozart's Clarinet Concerto, given a mellifluous performance by Angela Malsbury, provided the orchestral item between the choral pieces - although it now seems unusual to hear it played on a conventional clarinet rather than the lower basset clarinet for which it was written.
Beethoven - Symphony No 9 ('Choral')
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 6 June 2009
Borodin - Prince Igor
Moniuszko - Bajka
Sibelius - Finlandia
Beethoven - Symphony No 9
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Leicester Symphony Orchestra
Pavel Kotla - Conductor
Sarah Dacey - soprano
Lucie Spickova - mezzo
Gareth Malone - tenor
Andrew Mcintosh - bass
LEICESTER MERCURY
16/06/09
LEICESTER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Conductor – Pavel Kotla
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER
Review by Peter Collett
A joint concert with the Leicester Philharmonic Choir, two pieces for orchestra alone began the concert. A slightly over brassy but beautifully phrased Overture to Prince Igor by Borodin, was followed by Bajka or Fairytale. This accessible piece by Polish composer Moniuszko had many contrasting themes telling in music, a fairytale of excitement, drama, mischief and warm kindness. The LSO gave a wonderful performance, easily adapting to and conveying the different moods of the piece.
Sibelius’ tone poem Finlandia opened with beautifully crisp brass and proceeded to build up all the drama necessary in this majestic piece. The middle section, sung by the choir, was gentle and soothing and although perhaps lacking confidence on the part of the choir, choir and orchestra were well balanced.
The major work of the evening, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in D Minor “Choral”, featured orchestra, choir and professional vocal soloists. All combined to present a highly commendable performance of this struggle between terror and joy. The Molto Vivace saw wonderfully bright playing contrasted with full orchestra passages punctuated by fiery timpani. Crisp and exciting vocal solos lacked volume while the choir were in their element for the famous Ode to Joy theme, exploding into a powerful and delicious torrent of sound bringing the work to its joyous conclusion.
Conductor, Pavel Kotla, in his last performance with the orchestra, could surely be proud of his achievements in what overall was a fine performance.
Jenkins - Stabat Mater
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 21 Mar 2009
Sibelius - Finlandia
Shostakovich - 2nd Piano Concerto
Jenkins - Stabat Mater
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Marylebone Camerata
Karl Jenkins & Hilary Davan Wetton - Conductors
Belinda Sykes - Ethnic vocals
Wendy Dawn Thompson - mezzo
Chris Lee - piano
LEICESTER MERCURY
26/03/09
LEICESTER PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER
SAT 21
REVIEW BY MALCOLM WARNER
This was a curiously structured concert. The first half, of barely 30 minutes, was conducted by Hilary Davan Wetton.
A resplendent performance of Finlandia, from Marylebone Camerata, opened proceedings. The addition of the choir provided novelty, although it was difficult to tell if the choir was singing in English or the original Finnish.
Chris Lee then played Shostakovich's second piano concerto. It was an enjoyable reading of an enjoyable work, but the piano was thin-toned and clangourous in loud passages. A much longer second half followed, with Karl Jenkins's recent Stabat Mater under the composer's baton.
Scored for choir and two soloists - Wendy Dawn Thompson (mezzo) and Belinda Sykes (soprano and dudduk, a cross in sound between an oboe and kazoo) - the work is in a variety of languages with the usual Latin text. Again, the languages were indistinct.
Middle Eastern instruments provided some ear-catching sonorities, although it is difficult not to think the work is heavy on influences and light on concision.
Handel - Messiah
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 6 Dec 2008
Handel - Messiah
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Philharmonia Orchestra
Simon Halsey - Conductor
Rutter - Mass of the Children
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 18 Oct 2008
Arnold - 4 English Dances (1st set)
Rutter - To Every Thing There is a Season
Vaughan Williams - The Lark Ascending
Dvorak - Te Deum
Rutter - Mass of the Children
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Marylebone Camerata
John Rutter & Richard Dacey - Conductors
Joanne Lunn - Soprano
Jeremy Huw Williams - baritone
CBSO Youth Chorus
LEICESTER MERCURY
23/10/08
MASS OF THE CHILDREN
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER
SAT 18
REVIEW BY PETER COLLETT
Vitality and rhythm along with peace and tranquillity
Mozart Requiem & Piano Concerto No 25
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 17 May 2008
Mozart - Requiem
Mozart - Piano Concerto No 25 in C
Haydn - Te Deum
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Marylebone Camerata
Hilary Davan Wetton - Conductor
Erica Eloff - soprano
Louise Poole - mezzo-soprano
Adrian Ward - tenor
Hakan Vramsmo - bass
Chris Lee - piano
Jonathan Gregory - organ
LEICESTER MERCURY
21/05/08
MESSIAH
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER
SAT 17
REVIEW BY JOYCE PARKIN
A SPRIGHTLY PERFORMANCE OF GLORIOUS CHORAL WORK
Mozart in May
was the title of the latest performance given by the Leicester Philharmonic
Choir. They were accompanied by the Marylebone Camerata, and Hilary Davan Wetton
was the superb conductor.
The evening began with Haydn's Te Deum. This glorious choral work was given a
light and sprightly performance.
Chris Lee was the soloist in Mozart's Piano Concerto No25 in C major, K503. This
work had been largely ignored until 1934 although Mozart himself had often
performed it as a soloist. Chris Lee gave us a delicate and precise account. The
principal item of the evening was Mozart's wonderful well-known Requiem.
Soloists were Erica Eloff (soprano), Louise Poole (mezzo soprano), Adrian Ward
(tenor) and Hakan Vramsmo (baritone) with Jonathan Gregory playing the organ.
The choir was on good form and, as ever, diction, pitch
and ensemble were excellent, giving some lovely moments. I particularly enjoyed
the Lacrimosa and Domine Jesu with its magical pianissimos and the disciplined
"quam olin abrahae".
The soloists gave us a glorious Benedictus.
A truly melodic concert.
Fauré Requiem & Passiontide Music
St James the Greater Church, Leicester
Sat 15 Mar 2008
Fauré - Requiem
Dvorak - Te Deum
Williamson - Procession of Palms
Jenkins - Benedictus (Armed Man)
Tavener - Song for Athene
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Richard Dacey - Conductor
Sarah Stephens - soprano
Damian Carter - Baritone
Jeremy Rouse - Organ
Magnificat & Carols
St James the Greater Church, Leicester
Thurs 20 Dec 2007
John Rutter - Magnificat
Selection of Xmas Carols
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
Richard Dacey - Conductor
Sarah Stephens - soprano
Jeremy Rouse - organ
John Aldridge - compère
Messiah (arr. Mozart)
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Thurs 6 Dec 2007
Handel - Messiah arr. Mozart
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
London Mozart Players
Alexander Shelley - Conductor
Kerstin Pohle - soprano
Patricia Orr - mezzo-soprano
Ben Johnson - tenor
Dawid Kimberg - bass
LEICESTER MERCURY
10/12/07
MESSIAH
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER
SAT 06
CRISP MESSIAH ENDS ON A REAL HIGH
This year's
Messiah experience was provided by the London Mozart Players accompanied by the
Leicester Philharmonic Choir.
This is a most exuberant performance of an arrangement by Mozart which trips
along with great tempi throughout. There was delicacy and crispness.
Alexander Shelley conducted and I loved his style.
He had great rapport with everyone and got instant reaction to his requests,
with great effect - superb differential in dynamics, giving some lovely moments.
Ben Johnson, tenor, gave us an elongated "Comfort ye" but his "Every Valley" was
crisp.
Bass David Kimberg used his rich voice to give us a strong "Why do the nations?"
The mezzo-soprano Patricia Orr was superb in "O thou that tellest" and the
soprano Kerstin Pohle, with her clear voice, gave us superb examples of "He
shall feed his flock" and "I know that my Redeemer liveth".
The choir had excellent ensemble, full toned, balance and gave us very good
diction.
This chamber orchestra, as always, was excellent (with a tiny glitch) and a
superb accompaniment. The organist was Jonathan Gregory.
Of course, the amazing climaxes were a glorious "Hallelujah Chorus" and the
final "Amen Chorus". Such a high!
Belshazzar's Feast
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 27 Oct 2007
Walton - Belshazzar's Feast
Walton - March for a History of the English-Speaking Peoples
Walton - Henry V Suite arr. Sargent
Butterworth - Banks of Green Willow
Bruch - Violin Concerto
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
English Festival Orchestra
Hilary Davan Wetton - Conductor
Heather Badke - violin
Jacques Imbrailo - baritone
Review by Peter Collett
11/12/07
Sir William Walton's March for a History of the English Speaking Peoples may have a mouthful of a title, but provided a rousing start to an enjoyable concert.
Walton's atmospheric score for Henry V gave an opportunity for the two hundred or so singers of the combined Leicester Philharmonic Choir and the Derby Choral Union to build from a subtle pianissimo to robust fortissimo, which they did expertly.
Banks of Green Willow by Butterworth and Bruch's Violin Concerto showcased a talented English Festival Orchestra under the baton of Hilary Davan Wetton. Violin soloist Heather Badke's performance was stunning, with particular clarity in the first and second movements.
While much of Walton's music has a certain "Englishness" about it, the large scale choral work, Belshazzar's Feast, very much has the drama and outrage of a biblical Babylon about it.
Baritone soloist Jacques Imbrailo gave a strong performance and Walton's orchestral scoring was used to the full, including organ, giving the King of Instruments the chance to gloriously underpin the sound with rich bass. Sections of brass in the over stage balconies made for vibrant fanfares.
The powerful orchestra made the choirs work hard, although particularly in the final hymn of praise, the choirs soared triumphantly to be the crowning glory.
Dream of Gerontius
De Montfort Hall, Leicester
Sat 15 May 2007
Elgar - Dream of Gerontius
Leicester Philharmonic Choir
with Derby Choral Union
Philharmonia Orchestra
Sir Andrew Davis - Conductor
LEICESTER MERCURY
18/05/07
PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA AND LEICESTER PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
ELGAR - DREAM OF GERONTIUS
DE MONTFORT HALL, WED
GREAT PERFORMANCE OF ELGAR CLASSIC
The
Philharmonia Orchestra gave a fine performance of Elgar's masterpiece, The
Dream of Gerontius, together with Leicester Philharmonic Choir.
The eminent conductor was Sir Andrew Davis, who
seemed to have the entire orchestra at his fingertips.
Soloists on this occasion were the glorious mezzo-soprano Jane Irwin, the wonderful tenor James Gilchrist and the rich bass baritone voice of Peter Sidhom.
This proved to be a most memorable performance at De Montfort Hall. With the stunning music of Elgar, the amazing Philharmonia and the Leicester "Phil", how could it have been otherwise?
The Dream, a work of passion, tells of the journey of the soul from life to death, the words of the piece being from a poem by Cardinal Newman.
Gerontius asks his friend to pray for him as he passes over and, having gone to sleep, is welcomed by the angels before judgement.
With its lines of beautiful interwoven melody throughout, we heard glorious swathes of sound, the choir at times angelic or demonic, delicate or powerful, but always in control in this emotive piece.
Praise to the Holiest was a wonderful climax. The end was magical, completed by the stunning silence.
A complete success, the mood encapsulated.