Amidst all the kerfuffle of shopping, food and card writing, it is heartening to find so many people willing and able to give time to preparing and performing as demanding a programme of choral music as was given voice on Saturday 18 December in Royal Holloway College chapel by Egham and District Choral Society under their conductor Henry Macey.
The evening began with the first of Bach's six motets, "Jesu Meine Freude" (Jesus my Joy) composed in Leipzig for the funeral of a well-known local figure. The chorale (or hymn tune) which begins and ends the work is interspersed with passages from St Paul's epistle to the Romans, and provides reflections on the Biblical text in a symmetrical form the central section being an extended fugue of some complexity, making this an ambitious choice requiring considerable vocal stamina. In spite of a few anxious moments, the choir were in good voice, and the opening chorale set the tone in its full and intense sonority. The choir were accompanied on the organ by Dr Lionel Pike, who, it goes without saying, gave excellent support. A virtuosic rendering of Mulet's Carillon-Sortie for organ solo followed, after which came a performance of Vaughan-Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols, where the choir was joined by Paul Robertson (baritone), Andrew Adams (cello) and David Darby (piano). The work is originally for choir, orchestra, solo cello and baritone. The solo cellist opens the work with an elaboration of "This is the Truth Sent from Above" which the baritone then develops. The choir follows, weaving a pastoral sound-tapestry around several carol melodies with parts for the solo cello and baritone interspersed. The cellist and baritone played and sang musically, though neither had a large sounds, but they blended well with the expressive and stylish singing of the choir.
The next performance was of Rutter's "Te Deum Laudamus" (We Praise Thee O God), the words forming a part of the Easter vigil since the fourth century. This version was commissioned for a special service in Canterbury cathedral in 1988. This work presented no problem for the choir, who sang throughout with the necessary aplomb.
After the interval the audience joined the choir in singing some traditional carols with organ, interspersed with carols for the choir alone, include "Mid-Winter" in a rather jazzy setting with piano accompaniment by Bob Chilcott, "All This Time" by Sir William Walton and "What Sweeter Music", a setting of a poem by Robert Herrick by John Rutter. An interlude of unaccompanied Bach from the cellist gave choir and audience a peaceful "breather", and this joyful evening concluded with the choir wishing everyone a "Merry Christmas" in return for a helping of figgy pudding in the usual manner. Well done sopranos on (was it?) your final Bb! There's nothing like ending on a high note. A good evening! However the choir really needs more men, so why not dash back that bit earlier from the City or the airport or wherever on a Monday evening and head for St Paul's, Egham Hythe where the choir rehearse? It'll do you a power of good.
Valerie Ward