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LEICESTER MERCURY 17/03/05 THE ARMED MAN, LEICESTER PHILHARMONIC CHOIR DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER, 12/03/05 REVIEW By JOYCE PARKIN
Capacity audience was inspired by the Phil Leicester Philharmonic Choir’s March concert presented a capacity audience with an inspiring programme. The first half, with the BBC Concert Orchestra, was conducted by chorus master Richard Dacey, soloists being Sarah Dacey (soprano), Louise Deans (mezzo), Gareth Malone (tenor) and bass George Von Bergen. The pianist was Leicester’s Chris Lee. Brahms’ Academic Festival Overture, essentially a collection of Breslau University student songs, gave us a rousing start, culminating in the well known Gaudeamus Igitur. In Beethoven’s Choral Fantasia, Chris Lee was the soloist, giving a fine account of this work. Basically a theme and variations, it climaxes in the final choral section. The highlight of the concert was Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man: A Mass for Peace, conducted by the composer - a coup for the Phil. This amazing work depicts the Ordinary of the Mass interspersed with Plainsong, the Arabic Call to prayer, words from the Bible, Rudyard Kipling, also from Le Morte d’Arthur. It covers all fields of religion, the point being that Peace is good, not War. Regarding this performance, percussionists were so exciting (sound-screened from the orchestra), soloists acquitted themselves excellently, as did young treble Benjamin Morley from St James the Greater, Leicester. This is a difficult piece to perform and all succeeded superbly giving an exhilarating evening. |
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