A sultry summer evening on this occasion compensated for two previous years of cloudy, rainy skies, so that in spite of some brow mopping and fanning with programmes during the first part of the concert (held indoors) a capacity audience and the choir and other participants were able to fully enjoy their Glynebourne-style picnic on the lawns, accompanied once again by music from Celebration Brass, and followed by Last-Night-of-the-Proms-type singing to close the evening (complete with Union Jack waving.)
This was both a happy and sad occasion, being Henry Macey?s last concert with the choir before his move to Norfolk later in the year. Henry has been extremely popular with the choir, who showed their appreciation partly by singing so magnificently, and also with gifts and fond farewells. As well as conducting the choir, Henry joined with David Darby, the choir's accompanist to perform various piano duets with amazing enthusiasm and feeling. These included the well-known Berceuse from Faure's "Dolly" suite, "Italian Polka" by Rachmaninov, and a Slavonic Dance by Dvorak.
The evening began, however, with a boldly sung medley of Andrew Lloyd-Webber songs from the choir, followed by "Stranger in Paradise" (Kismet/Borodin) sung by the young baritone John Holland-Avery, a music scholar at St. George's, Weybridge, who sounds as though he has a bright singing career ahead of him! He also sang with the choir for solo passages in "The Turtle Dove", a traditional tune arranged by Vaughan Williams, and a further solo "On the Street Where You Live" from Lerner and Loewe's "My Fair Lady". Other items in the programme's first part were another arrangement by Vaughan Williams, "Linden Lea", beautifully sung especially by the tenors in the verse where they took over the melodic line, a charming version of "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" and a lush arrangement of David Raskin's song "Laura" by Roderick Williams. This was no soft option, with some complex part-writing, but the choir coped well, and David Darby's inimitable piano playing came to the fore. "The Silver Swan" by Gibbons added a more serious note, and other lighter arrangements were Geroge Gershwin's "S'Wonderful" and a medley from "Oliver" by Lionel Bart.
Drummer Nick Long joined the choir and their accompanist to add rhythm to the musical numbers from Lloyd Webber, Lionel Bart etc. and also backed up the later community singing.
As well as "Rule Britannia", "Land of Hope and Glory" and "Jerusalem" it is only fair to mention a work specially commissioned from its composer Guy Bunce for "Celebration Brass" in 2002, and performed during the picnic interval. It is called "Ode to Broadway" and is in Jazz style with hints of Cole Porter.
The choir's next concert will be on December 17th under the baton of their new musical director, Dr Lionel Pike, whom they happily welcome following his retirement from Royal Holloway.