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Choir and audience enjoy the many highlights of Christmas music

11:14am Monday 19th December 2011

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.

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Hoff gets us hooked on panto frolics

12:34pm Wednesday 14th December 2011

THE BUZZ surrounding this year’s panto at the Bristol Hippodrome has been going on for months - and with good reason. The undisputed star of the show, David Hasselhoff, is something of a coup for the theatre, with hordes of fans coming from miles away to catch a glimpse of their favourite TV star.

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An evening of contrasts by talented vocalist

11:18am Monday 12th December 2011

THORNBURY Choral Society, under their Conductor Steven Kings and with the Bristol Ensemble gave us another inspiring evening on Saturday 26 November at The Castle School with their performance of two settings of the Mass. These works were the lesser known Schubert setting in B flat followed by the well loved Mozart Requiem. The Schubert work featured in the first half of the evening’s programme. The short opening introduction from the orchestra led into the Kyrie where the singing of the Choir was nicely balanced with the orchestra. This contrasted well with the short passages for the four soloists. The first solo came from the soprano (Linda Gerrard) who took an operatic approach to the work. The other soloists were Louise Tucker (alto) Richard Rowntree (tenor) and Steven Foulkes (bass) who formed an atmospheric quartet for the Et Incarnartus section of the Credo. This contrasted with the full toned singing of the Choir in the earlier parts of the movement. The difficult tempo change for the Cum Sancto Spiritu section was successfully negotiated and it was clear that the Choir had been working hard on improving their diction with clear enunciation and entries particularly at the start of the Gloria. Whilst this work is not as well known as the more often performed Schubert masses in G and A flat, an enjoyable performance was given For the Mozart Requiem the orchestra was slightly augmented and produced a flowing introduction before the Choir’s confident entry to the Kyrie. A brisk pace for the Rex Tremendae was matched with precise entries from the Choir. The excellent quartet work from the soloists was interspersed with well executed contrasting choral passages for the Choir capturing the spirit of the work. The choir also presented some good dynamics contrasts in the Hostias section which was maintained in the later movements. The steady pace of the final Cum Sanctis allowed the fugal writing with both themes to be clearly heard above the orchestral tutti as the work reached its triumphant conclusion. A most enjoyable concert which was very well attended.

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Young performers add to the good cheer at Dursley Tabernacle

9:38am Monday 12th December 2011

THERE was a healthy attendance at this concert, perhaps helped by the fact that the Junior DODS choir was also performing. It was good to hear the young performing alongside the middle aged. There were thirty singers in the Cotswold Chorus of whom only eight were men which led to a certain lack of balance although the men did their best to compensate. The Chorus opened with In Dulci Jubilo based on an arrangement by the great JS Bach which I felt was taken too slowly and showed a few uncertainties but with Past Three o'clock the choir got into its stride and sang more confidently. Whence is that Goodly Fragrance Flowing is a French carol that was pleasantly sung and Tomorrow shall be my Dancing Day found the singers at their best with those strong rhythms, the staccato notes and not forgetting James Corbett's striking piano accompaniment. He was a tower of strength throughout.

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Not so cracking show for the Vienna Festival Ballet

11:18am Wednesday 7th December 2011

Granted the stage at Stroud’s Subscription Rooms is narrow, small and overall ill-suited for a ballet of the Nutcracker’s scale. Granted, there is no space for an orchestra. There is, in fact, not even space for a proper sound system.

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Season's Greetings did not bring tidings of comfort or joy

3:17pm Tuesday 6th December 2011

LET’S be clear before I go on, I don’t think Alan Ayckbourn is aiming his plays at me. So it’s okay that I don’t find them that funny.

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Bath's premier amateur group puts on a Beauty of a show

7:14pm Thursday 1st December 2011

TAKING on a classic children’s tale is a task in itself but stepping into the shoes of the world’s greatest film animators is another challenge altogether.

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Panto season gets off to a giant start in Cheltenham

12:17pm Monday 28th November 2011

PANTOMIME season is definitely upon us, oh yes it is, and what better way to kickstart the festive season than with the Everyman Theatre’s feel-good family offering.