Twyford Singers’ concert on Sunday gave its large audience time and space to meditate and reflect.
The Palm Sunday concert started with Brahms’ serene and uplifting How Lovely is Thy Dwelling Place. Next came Brahms’ Geistliches Leid, bearing the message: “fear nothing, trust God’s will and be still my spirit”.
Bruckner’s Christus Factus Est built to its loud climax, concluding with its haunting, very quiet, melody.
For those unfamiliar with some of the programme, Mendelssohn’s Hear my Prayer including O for the Wings of a Dove provided a familiar and much-loved treat. Commendably, the two soloists, Anne Pearce and Celia Reinbolt, were from the choir itself. They gave creditable and moving performances.
The choir’s musical director Helen Styles gave excellent leadership to the whole concert. She also sang, with beautiful simplicity, Fauré’s Salve Regina, a prayer to Mary, mother of Jesus.
Near the middle of the concert the choir performed Bruckner’s lovely Locus Iste unaccompanied – and without their sheets of words and notes. It can be hard for singers to tear themselves away from the support of their music scores. But Twyford Singers did it and with great effect.
The concert was accompanied on the organ by Robert Jones the musical director of St Bride’s Church in Fleet Street, London, known as the journalists’ church. His skilled performances of Brahms’ Es ist ein Ros’ enstsprungen and Frank’s Pièce Héroïque complemented the sung pieces well.
The choir’s final two songs, Panis Angelicus by Frank and Cantique de Jean Racine by Fauré gave a beautiful conclusion to the concert.
Twyford Singers’ excellent accompanist Judith Creighton played for all the practice evenings at St Marys Church, Twyford, before the concert.
Twyford Singers’ next concert is on June 24 at Loddon Hall, Twyford and will feature opera choruses and musical favourites.
