The 1066 Choir & Organ President’s Evening was celebrated by a large audience and an equally large number of local musicians at Sackville Road Methodist Church in Bexhill on 27 April.

Stephen had again worked his considerable skill to bring together choirs and soloists in a wide range of music, focussing on the sacred but drawing in many works which now comfortably fit within that category.

After a brief but warm welcome to all, the evening opened with a rousing rendition of All people that on Earth do dwell. Having so many choristers among the audience really got proceedings off with a bang.

Unfortunately Andrew McGreggor was unable to play and Stephen opened the solo pieces with Bach’s Liebster jesu, wir sind hier BWV 633 from the Orgelbuchlein, its gentle tones being a suitable antidote to the fire of the Old One-Hundreth.

Some sleight of hand on the part of the host brought Lin Westcott next to sing Oh heart melt in weeping from Bach’s St John Passion, its lovely lines setting a tone of reflection.

John Pembery both conducted and played for the Melodians, opening with the ancient Greek Hymn Hail gladdening light, followed by Simple Gifts, perhaps better know to us through Sydney Carter as Lord of the Dance. The 23^rd Psalm sneaked in under Howard Goodall’s familiar version used in The Vicar of Dibley and the set concluded with Seize the day – a fine chorus from a little known Disney film.

Stephen followed this in triumphal mood with Karg-Elert’s Chorale-Improvisation on Nun danket alle Gott. We know this was used at a royal wedding, but in conversations over tea afterwards nobody could recall quite which one. Suggestions welcome! It is worth pointing out here that Stephen was working against the odds with the organ which, though it sounds magnificent at full tilt, was in fact showing its age and weaknesses throughout, complaining at times and thus needing a large amount of TLC from the performer. Such is professionalism.

Calvert Memorial Methodist Church Choir under the careful guidance of Heather White, and accompanied by Karen Woods, sang four anthems in regular use in their own church, opening with How can I keep from singing? followed by a delightful Silesian arrangement of Fairest Lord Jesus. An attractively romantic setting of Day by day by D Catherwood, which I admit I did not know but would like to know better, led to a setting by Roger Jones of O love that will not let me go

Edward Preston is no stranger to these occasions and pleased all with a moving rendition of Sullivan’s The Lost chord. One would think that Edward would make an unusual Mario Lanza but his singing of I’ll walk with God was deeply moving and impeccably musical.

Returning to the organ Stephen Page played Francis Jackson’s Prelude on East Acklam – a gentle moment of respite before the following choral items.

A small group of singers from King’s Church, led by Claire Burford, sang Graham Kendrick’s Have you heard?  and From the highest of heights, a delicate and moving setting by C Tomlin.

The final choral items came from the Regency Singers directed by Stephen Page and accompanied by Andrew Daniels. The four works focussed on the cross-over today between secular and sacred music, opening with You Raise Me Up which has become almost as familiar in church as on the pop scene. Michael Jackson seemed an unlikely bed-follow with Mozart, but linking Heal the World and Ave Verum Corpus made both musical and emotional sense. They ended with Bring him home, Jean Val-Jean’s prayer from Les Miserables, at once popular, reflective and completely modern. What better way to bring the evening to a close?

Well perhaps another hymn for all to enjoy, in this case Stanford’s uplifting When in our music God is glorified. The minister closed with thanks and prayers before we were ushered into the hall for refreshments, via the bucket collection for St Michael’s Hospice.

Another fine evening, with far better weather than this time last year, and another success for President Stephen Page and 1066 Choir & Organ. BH

Hastings Unitarian Church, 13 April 2013

The first in the new series of organ concerts opened with a sprightly rendition of Purcell’s Trumpet Tune which had the additional pleasure of the Air which is so often omitted. In a programme of gentle music, which seemed to match the gentle April showers outside, we next heard Charles S McClain’s Prelude on Were You There, which has just enough acid in its textures to keep the mind involved.

Three short pieces by the sixteenth century Virginalist Giles Farnaby suited the Snetzler very well, with its soft flute particularly apt for the Spagnioletta. Jacques Berthier is better known as the composer of many Taize chants, but here we heard his mellifluous variations on Lobe den Herren.

Bach’s Prelude & Fugue No22 from Book 1 of the 48 was followed by Reverie by Vierne. This allowed Stephen to indulge himself in the solo Dulciana, managing to sound far more romantic than it should.

The second movement of William Russell’s Voluntary No5 has a prophetically Menselssohnian feel to it, with a warmth that led us easily into four short pieces by Howard Skempton. Swedish Caprice has jolly syncopation and there is a delightful irony in the extended melody for Well, well, Cornelius.

Edmonstoune Duncan’s Solemn March  should have been the end but – with summer in sight – Stephen gave us Blaze Away to send us home whistling happily.

The next concert is on Saturday 29 June at 2.30pm, and there is an open invitation to the 1066 Choir & Organ President’s Evening on 27 April at Sackville Road Methodist Church, Bexhill, at 7.30pm  BH

Hastings Philharmonic Choir & Orchestra, Marcio da Silva

Christ Church, St Leonards, 6 April 2013

It is always a pleasure to attend a local performance which needs no allowances for being local. Such is the quality of music making under new conductor Marcio da Silva that one can relax and enjoy every aspect of the event without having to make any mental compromise.

The young soloists presented us with an interesting range of voices. Soprano, Alice Privett and tenor, Peter Kirk had more developed operatic voices which highlighted the dramatic side of Bach’s writing while Angela Simkin’s more introspective style suited the intimacy of Es ist vollbracht. Daniel Joy’s Evangelist brought a welcome clarity in his diction and an emotional involvement which carried the narrative forward. Laurence Meikle’s Jesus was noble but humane.

The soloists in the orchestra excelled themselves with a touching viola da gamba solo from Jenny Bullock and fine, intense, woodwind playing throughout. The choir’s sound was well balanced and their accuracy impressive. They negotiated the many difficulties in the score with apparent ease and moved seamlessly from the dramatic to the reflective. Though the acoustic in the church is supportive of choral music there were some problems with the clarity of the text. Though one understands why it might be preferable to sing the work in English, the German text would have cut the acoustic with greater clarity and often words were lost because of the soft edges of the translation.

Throughout, Marcio da Silva maintained a steady pace which gave us time to consider what we were hearing, rather than being driven too rapidly forward, but it never became over-indulgent.

Christ Church, St Leonards, has a venerable history of fine musical performances since it was first opened and the choir can feel confident that they are building on this reputation.

For their next concert on 22 June they are returning to St Mary in the Castle for an evening of American and Brazilian folk music. www.hastingsphilchoi.org.uk BH