Local up-coming chamber choir, Kantos, performed a celebration of seasonal music all invoking images of the crib and new life this afternoon at Manchester's Stoller Hall.
The concert started with the choir processing onto the stage from the rear of the auditorium, taking the title of the first movement in Britten's 'A Ceremony Of Carols' quite literally. The choir went on to sing the whole song cycle, with, of course, a literal interpretation once again of the final song, 'Recession'. In the midst of these songs, they also sang Edmund Joliffe's 'There Is No Rose', which complimented the song by the same title in Britten's work. Joliffe had won a carol-writing competition and his prize was to have the song sung by the choir. The song cycle requires a solo soprano and solo mezzo soprano, and both soloists this afternoon, chosen from the main body of the choir were delightful, although I especially enjoyed the mezzo. The whole song cycle was sung to solo harp accompaniment, and this was provided by Eira Lynn-Jones.
After a short interval, the choir returned to sing more traditional Christmas fayre, interspersed with well-known carols which we, the audience, were invited to stand and sing along with too. I have to admit that this felt much more like a church service than a concert, and so was less happy with this than the first half, but most of the audience joined in and sang heartily. The community singing was accompanied on organ by George Herbert.
My favourite piece of the evening however was performed in this second half. It was an arrangement of a traditional Spanish song called 'A La Nanita Nama' which was arranged by choir member Robin Wallingham (who also sang quite beautifully the tenor solo in the piece). The choir should look at performing a few more up-tempo songs in their repertoire, as this evening's programme was, apart from this, all very much on the same moderato tempo.
That being said however, the cummulative sound that this choir creates is simply joyous. Their line, phrasing, breathing, articulation, and overall sound is truly beautiful, and the dynamic control superb. The sound simply washed over me, engulfed me, and I was happily drowning in it.
The one thing I would make some negative comment on - and I think I made reference to this in the last review of the choir too - is their choice of performance costuming. This evening I thought I was watching a choir rehearsal, not an actual performance. Dressed down in jeans, trainers, unironed shirts, boots, slacks, and for the second half, a combination of "quasi-seasonal" jumpers, just simply looked wrong, very ragged and uncaring.
Close your eyes though, and you truly are in heaven.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 18.12.22
on - 18.12.22
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