Music

Plymouth Philharmonic Choir at the Guildhall (review)

23rd November 2009

What a delightful early Christmas present in the shape of Saint Nicolas, of Santa Claus fame.

Plymouth Philharmonic Choir gave an outstanding account of Britten’s charismatic cantata, finely matching every nuance of the score, and articulating Eric Crozier’s first-rate libretto with great clarity.

The choir was on top form, but its supporting artists also made a telling contribution to the success of the performance.

Tenor, David Webb, was in his element here, with exactly the right vocal timbre to carry off Britten’s idiomatic writing with great aplomb.

The semi-chorus from Kingsbridge Community School, the three ‘Pickled Boys’, and Joe Tapper, as Young St Nicolas, were also exceptionally well-drilled, and refreshingly able to keep in tune and in time.

The excellent orchestra, under Malcolm Latchem’s confident leadership, did its job admirably, enhanced by some very effective keyboard and percussion playing.

The choir was also heard to great effect in Howard Goodall’s Eternal Light, which opened the concert, producing some ravishing sounds and textures in the essentially anodyne style which has won Classic FM’s Composer-in-Residence many friends.

Here Nicholas Merryweather (bass) had the power and voice to project above choir and orchestra, but the other soloists appeared less fortunate in this respect.

Once again Plymouth Philharmonic Choir, under conductor Christopher Fletcher, has done us proud with its inspired programming, in fact the perfect offering for St Cecilia’s Day.

PHILIP R BUTTALL

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