Saturday 3 December 2005
Kingston Parish Church, Market Place, Kingston-upon-Thames
Concert for Advent
Thames Philharmonic Choir
Thames Festival Orchestra

Thames Philharmonic's Baroque Splendour

Kingston Parish Church welcomed once again a capacity audience to Thames Philharmonic Choir's Christmas concert last Saturday, 3rd. December. The Choir rarely fails to please and this concert was no exception, opening with Handel's glorious, uplifting Coronation Anthem: Zadok the Priest.

This was followed by an orchestral interlude: Corelli's Concerto Grosso in G minor Opus 6 No.8 - the Christmas Concerto. The Thames Festival Orchestra was led on this occasion by Simon Smith, as regular Leader Matthew Scrivener was away on duty as leader of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. The strings gave us a rich, deep, slow opening before the passage into livelier, brighter territory. They played with a delicacy and attention to detail that was particularly notable with the cello. The third and final movement was airy and bright, more reminiscent of spring than of Advent, but concluded with a beautifully controlled, exquisite diminuendo.

The heart of the evening was provided by Kevin Jones' Cantus de Stellis (Song of the Stars), the first performance of a new version of the work arranged for accompaniment of the choir by a small orchestra. Kevin Jones is Professor of Music at Kingston University, one of the sponsors of the Choir. His wide variety of compositions includes computer-based works. This rich output was very much in evidence in the Cantus. From the thrilling percussive opening through to lyrical, impressionistic passages via Steve Reichian periods of minimalism, the work never failed to hold one's attention. The Choir sang with considerable control, bringing to life the rich textures of the work very effectively indeed, in turns ethereal, exploratory and exuberant.

The second half provided less surprises, but many delights, opening with Suter's Passacaglia: Fire (a movement from Le Laudi), a setting of St. Francis of Assisi's famous poem Il Cantico delle Creature - The Song of Creation. This late romantic work is full of lyrical beauty and rich harmonic effects. The Choir opened their hearts and lungs magnificently. They received superb accompaniment from Stephen Disley (organ) and Roger Beeson (piano).

By contrast, Bach's Cantata 140, Wachet auf! (Sleepers Awake!) is a chamber work. It features two intimate interludes in which soloists Penny Ormerod (soprano) and Trevor Alexander (bass), accompanied firstly by just one violin, cello and organ and secondly by oboe and bassoon with restrained organ, excelled, especially when singing in unison, before the Choir and Orchestra concluded a most memorable concert in a spirit of joyous celebration.

John Bate, Music Director the Thames Philharmonic Choir and founder of the Thames Festival Orchestra, conducted this rich programme with masterful economy, control and sensitivity. The performers thoroughly deserved the prolonged, enthusiastic applause of the highly appreciative audience. In addition to the support of Kingston University, the concert was also supported by the boroughs of Kingston upon Thames, Richmond and Wandsworth as well as by John Lewis and Bentalls.

Colin Bloxham, Richmond and Twickenham Times, 30 December 2005