LEICESTER MERCURY
28/10/02
LEICESTER PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
DE MONTFORT HALL,
SAT 26
REVIEW by MARY MURTAGH
How could a requiem be this enjoyable?
Composer John Rutter led 150 beautiful voices through his Requiem, and it was spell-binding. I am not quite sure if masses for the dead are meant to give so much pleasure.
The female soloist was outstanding and the lone cellist deserved a warm welcome too. The choir was faultless.
They made the hair on the back of my neck stand up when they sang in unison.
It was Fauré's Requiem before the interval. Different, but equally haunting.
Rutter charmed the audience with his flamboyant bows and celebration of the choir, and stole the show when he stole a kiss from his beautiful soloist.
If you had asked me to tick a box yay or nay "do you like Latin sung masses for the dead?" I would have hurriedly ticked no.
Thanks to John Rutter and co, I've changed my mind.
John Rutter and The Phil 26 Oct 2002
