Spring concert 18.3.10

2012

News 2011

Spring

The Spring Concert featured senior school choirs of all ages, with sounds to suit all tastes, from Paul Simon’s ‘The 59th Street Bridge Song’ (Year 7 Bel Canto), Karl Jenkins’ ‘Adiemus’ (Years 8+9 Camerata), Wilson’s ‘Now the lusty spring is seen’ (Madrigalists) and songs from John Rutter’s ‘Mass of the Children’ from the Holst Chamber Choir. The second part of the evening was devoted to a performance of Benjamin Britten’s ‘St Nicolas’, when the JAGS Choral Society added its multiple voices drawn from the local community to the school choirs and Chamber Orchestra. AS level Music student, Eleanor Makower, Year 12, gives her personal response to the performance. There’s another chance to hear the performance again on 2 May in St John’s Smith Square.

The Spring Concert featured senior school choirs of all ages, with sounds to suit all tastes, from Paul Simon’s ‘The 59th Street Bridge Song’ (Year 7 Bel Canto), Karl Jenkins’ ‘Adiemus’ (Years 8+9 Camerata), Wilson’s ‘Now the lusty spring is seen’ (Madrigalists) and songs from John Rutter’s ‘Mass of the Children’ from the Holst Chamber Choir.

The second part of the evening was devoted to a performance of Benjamin Britten’s ‘St Nicolas’, when the JAGS Choral Society added its multiple voices drawn from the local community to the school choirs and Chamber Orchestra. AS level Music student, Eleanor Makower, Year 12, gives her personal response to the performance. There’s another chance to hear the performance again on 2 May in St John’s Smith Square.

Benjamin Britten's Cantata 'Saint Nicolas' depicts legendary moments in the life of Nicolas, patron saint of children, travellers and sea-men. Throughout the piece, the choir (in our case made up of members of the Choral Society and Chamber Choir) portray a plethora of different characters including schoolchildren relating the birth and childhood of Nicolas, travellers telling of a stormy voyage, and women lamenting their missing sons.

The orchestral accompaniment is deeply atmospheric, and I thoroughly enjoyed taking part and meanwhile observing how Britten so effectively depicts so many contrasting incidents, while simultaneously presenting an entirely cohesive piece of music. It also gave our maestro Mr. O'Hara plenty of opportunity to display his conducting skills - he was not only keeping the orchestra in check, but choirs at both ends of the hall.

Among my favourite moments, is the 5th movement where Nicolas 'comes to Myra and is chosen bishop'. The opening, with its organ accompaniment and rich choral 'Amens', feels wonderfully religious. As Nicolas is pronounced bishop, these Amens accelerate into an energetic fugue. After this reaches its climax, the audience join the choir in a rendition of the familiar hymn 'All People That On Earth Do Dwell' accompanied by soaring string passages and rousing organ chords. Our audience entered into the spirit of audience participation with great enthusiasm, so I can't wait for our next performance of 'Saint Nicolas' in St. John's Smith Square on 2 May - the perfect location for such a piece.