Choir and audience enjoy the many highlights of Christmas music (From Gazette Series)

Review: Christmas with the Oriana Singers, St Martin's North Nibley

11:14am Monday 19th December 2011 in Leisure By Donald Hollins

THE Oriana Singers had a rival in the church! Next to them was a colossal, decorated Christmas Tree covered in lights. Never mind, there were plenty of highlights in the programme devised by conductor David Moss, not least his opening Nova! Nova! for two choirs with its thrilling announcement of NEWS! and his Now is the Time of Christymas which the choir also clearly enjoyed singing. However, I was not so sure about Simon Reynolds’ arrangement of Good King Wenceslas: what did the good king do to deserve this syncopated version by one of the foremost critics of electronic dance music? The Epithany anthem The Three Kings by Peter Cornelius I enjoyed much more, especially Peter Kirvan’s sympathetic solo ending on a lovely note. A major highlight of this pleasant programme was Buxtehude’s extended cantata, The New-Born Babe . It was beautifully sung and the composer’s reputation as a master of melody was much in evidence. Ian Higginson accompanied ably on piano but we missed the organ.

A palpable hit was Sargent’s Cowboy Carol which is always great fun to listen to and, I’m sure, to sing. Following it with the responsorial chant from the Matins of Christmas ,O Magnum Mysterium by Victoria, took just a little time to adjust to but this sublime music proved as moving as ever. The choir’s good diction enabled those movingl words by Christina Rossetti, In the Bleak Midwinter, ( Harold Darke version) to be clearly heard. Andrew Young was the effective tenor soloist The Oriana Singers ended this most successful concert with joyful renderings of the Gloucestershire Wassail Song and Rutter’s popular Jesus Child.

During the concert the good-sized congregation was invited to sing several familiar carols and Lisa Randell and Chris Lambert delivered their readings wittily and movingly. Hot mulled wine and minced pies at the interval helped compensate for the temperature in the church.