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LEICESTER MERCURY 06/12/03 LEICESTER PHILHARMONIC CHOIR - Songs of Christmas DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER, 04/12/03 By NEIL CRUTCHLEY
Choir's Carol Concert was 'delightful' Winning formula with no gimmicks: Leicester Philharmonic Choir has a tradition of putting on a good carol concert. THE “PHIL” always puts on a good carol concert. It sticks to a tried and tested formula which works well and draws a capacity audience. There are no gimmicks or novelties and nor is there a need for them with a choir that sings with such joy and enthusiasm. Performing under chorus master Richard Dacey, the Phil was well balanced, rhythmically alert and responsive. The tone was warm and refined and the performances of the Sussex Carol, Torches and The Virgin Mary Had a Baby Boy to name but three were absolutely delightful. The Travelsphere Holidays Band conducted by David Stowell provided an entertaining instrumental interlude and performed such favourites as Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride and Prokofiev’s Troika with precision and panache. I particularly enjoyed Stowell’s arrangement of a movement from Hely-Hutchinson’s Carol Symphony. It would have been nice to have heard guest organist Andrew Lumsden in a solo spot; perhaps in place of one of the five items from prize-winning tenor soloist Marius Brenciu. These included such popular pieces as Franck’s Panis Angelicus and the Gounod-Bach Ave Maria - performed to an accompaniment of coughs. Brenciu joined the choir in a fine account of 0 Holy Night as well as Cornelius’s The Three Kings. The audience singing was impressively hearty - encouraged by genial compère, Henry Kelly. |
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