The Bishopwearmouth Choral Society’s traditional December concert proved to be the perfect early Christmas present for an enthusiastic and appreciative audience.

Conductor David Murray chose an all-Beethoven programme: a popular overture and two rarely-heard choral pieces. It proved to be an inspired choice. Beethoven may not be so well-known as a composer of choral music but this concert by Murray’s terrific group of singers demonstrated that anything a musical genius puts his hand to will always reward the listener.

The concert began with a performance of the Coriolan Overture. The grandeur and tragic heroism of the piece were movingly conveyed by the orchestra and it proved to be the perfect introduction to the concert.

The Mass in C suffers in comparison with its more well-known counterpart, the Missa Solemnis, but it is a great work in its own right. The unaccompanied opening of the Kyrie, the ecstatic joy of the Gloria and the poignancy of the Miserere arestern tests for any choir – Murray’s singers passed with flying colours.

The soloists (Katherine Moore, Sara Parry, Edward Lee and Martin Robson) were excellent throughout. They displayed a genuine sense of teamwork and clearly enjoyed singing unfamiliar repertoire.

Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, which brought the concert to a rousing conclusion, is a bit of a highbrow hybrid – part sonata, part concerto and part chorus. The testing piano part was superbly played by Eileen Bown with a fantastic display of virtuosity which was simply stunning. The orchestra, especially the woodwind and horns, played with great feeling but it was the choir which really
delighted the audience. The warm applause that followed the exciting finale to the piece was richly deserved.

The Bishopwearmouth Choral Society continues to be a musical beacon in Sunderland and this concert was a shining example of de-light.

Keith Nixon

If you are fortunate, you should now be able to see the latest picture of the choir – the one showing everyone with David Murray and Eileen Bown in the front row – but if you are still seeing the original version (with only part of the choir)  you will need to take a little action to put things right. In ‘computer speak’ the problem is that your computer is retaining some parts of the websites you look at in its cache or temporary files so that it can load them more quickly the next time you visit that site again. There is nothing wrong with your computer – just a matter of how it is set-up.

The simplest way to correct this appears to be to first delete bishopwearmouth.co.uk from your Favourites list (where of course you have it to look at regularly) and then to empty your cache! If you are using Internet Explorer 9 this is done by going into ‘Safety’ at the top right hand side of your browser window and then choosing ‘Delete Browser History’. In that window, ensure that the ‘Temporary Files’ option is checked and press the ‘Delete’ button in that window. After exiting from that, you can relook at www.bishopwearmouth.co.uk and when it come up (showing the new photograph) you can re-add it to your Favourites and all will be right with world – or with the web-site at least.

If you are using earlier versions of Internet Explorer or other browsers there will be a similar procedure for emptying your temporary internet files – which is a good idea to do regularly in any case to try and avoid this sort of glitch – if this is actually a problem for you. All of the information you can see will still be correct – this problem only seems to affect some of the visual aspects.

Our apologies for this difficulty which is not avoidable from our end. Our web-designers have done their bit to update things but unfortunately this does not mean that your computers will automatically pick up on them, depending on how they are set up.

Superb night

Thunderous applause and cheers greeted the performers at the end of the concert in Sunderland. No – this is not a review of Kings of Leon. The performers were our very own Bishopwearmouth Choral Society who let their hairdown in spectacular style on Saturday night.

The arrangements which conductor David Murray made of popular American and gospel songs have been lying in his attic since the 1970s. Thankfully, he dusted them down so that his choir could breathe new life into them and show off what a fine group of singers they are. They demonstrated that they are equally at home singing the songs of Randy Newman and Carole King as they are in their more conventional repertoire.

Jazz singer Ruth Lambert wowed the audience with four amazing songs, admirably accompanied by James Birkett and Tony Abel. Her rendition of Jimmy Davis’s ‘Lover Man’ was simply sensational.

JamesBirkett is a superb guitarist and it was a delight to hear him perform with his 16 year-old pupil Bradley Johnston. The four pieces which they played were spellbinding, particularly Chick Corea’s ‘Spain’ with its contrast betweentraditional and modern. Young Bradley has a very bright future ahead of him.

It was great to have the Bishopwearmouth Young Singers at the party. Eileen Bown can be very proud of her young performers who sang their hearts out. Their performance of David Fanshawe’s ‘Lord’s Prayer’ was very moving but they showed that they could swing with the best of them with the gospel song ‘Feel Good’.

And feeling good was what the whole concert was about. The applause after the encore of ‘Honey, Honey’ at the end of the evening must have been music to David Murray’s ears. The Bishopwearmouth Choral Society is a jewel of a choir and this concert was diamond-studded.

Keith Nixon.

Did you miss our recent Hayden concert on the 26th March? This is what the reviewer, Vince Smith, had to say about it :

Bishopwearmouth Choral Society presented two Haydn Masses at its recent concert; the works being the St Nicholas Mass and Maria Theresa Mass.  Haydn was one of music’s most amiable personalities and composing Religious Music was not a reason for restraint.  A warm sunny nature pervades most of his music whatever the media. The programme notes in an attractive printed programme included one of Haydn’s most frequently quoted thoughts that “whenever he thought about God it made him cheerful.”

It is however for the performers to realise a composer’s intentions and that was certainly the case as the Minster was filled with some glorious sounds. Climaxes were thrilling without being forced and the more sensitive moments very moving.  One of the many delights of Haydn’s Choral Music is the way in which he uses the soloists.  Not so much self contained arias but interaction with each other and the choir thus creating a wide variety of choral textures. The guest soloists, Jessica Holmes (soprano), Sally Burchell (Mezzo), Mark Chaundry (tenor) and James Oldfield (Bass Baritone) proved to be an excellent choice.  The St. Nicholas Mass begins with a quartet of soloists and it was evident immediately that balance and blend were to be successful components of the performances.

Some of the region’s finest orchestral players provided the orchestra and under the expert and scholarly direction of David Murray the choral textures were underpinned with skill and sensitivity.  It was the string section of the orchestra that began the evening with a performance of a Mozart Divertimento that beautifully captured the elegant charm that is so often a feature of his music.    An appreciative audience were treated to an evening of music making of the highest quality.

Vincent Smith

“Thank goodness for the Bishopwearmouth Choral Society! For two glorious hours on Saturday the winter-weary audience was treated to such outstanding music-making that all thoughts of ice and snow were banished. And what an ambitious programme – two works written in response to personal losses, a Brahms rarity and one of the great choral masterpieces by Dvořák.

Nänie is a lovely piece written in memory of Brahms’ friend, Anselm Feuerbach. This is Brahms at his most contemplative and introspective. Apart from the German Requiem, Brahms’ choral-orchestral works are not well known; considering the beauty of the BCS’s performance of Nänie, this is a great shame.

The composing of his Stabat Mater was Dvořák’s reaction to the death of three of his children in rapid and tragic succession. The first four sections are dark, displaying the composer’s sense of emptiness. There is a transformation to the light with the fifth movement, which continues to the work’s conclusion. It is as if Dvořák were praying through this music, and he does achieve inner peace by the end.

The high standard of the choir continues to attract excellent soloists and the four performers (Katherine Moore, Sara-Louisa Parry, Christopher Turner and the remarkable Njabulo Madlala) all displayed the sensitivity of the text with controlled passion. The orchestra, too, played with great feeling. But it was the choir which really delighted the audience. Conductor David Murray must be thrilled with a group of singers that, in a challenging work, was able to convey tenderness as well as the pain that the composer clearly felt as he was writing the piece. The warm applause that followed the final movement was richly deserved.

The Bishopwearmouth Choral Society continues to go from strength to strength and proved to be the perfect cure for the wintertime blues.”

Keith Nixon

If there was to be any further difficulties then you will see it here first.

“ Bishopwearmouth Choral Society is to be congratulated on the imaginative and innovative programme which was performed at the Minster on Saturday night. The combination of Choir and Brass always promises much and this was to be a thrilling evening enjoyed by all.

 A Fanfare for Brass Quintet from the Ballet “La Peri “(Dukas) and “Die Bankelsangerlieder” (anon.) gave the programme an exhilarating start.  Anton Bruckner, the Austrian composer best known for his symphonies did nevertheless compose some of the most beautiful choral works for his beloved Church. The choir performed four of his ten motets.  They present many challenges, not least that of singing “a capella” and high passages for the sopranos, challenges which were successfully realised.  Two of the motets were accompanied by three trombones that being the only support throughout the works.    The Minster resonated to some glorious and thrilling choral sounds.  The full brass section of 9 players and two percussionists ended the first half with sparkling and tasteful performances of “The Prince of Denmark’s March” and the equally well known Suite of Six Dances by Susato.

 The second half could not have begun with a more original and delightful opening. Two percussionists, Andy Booth and Mark Bolderson  performed  “Marche de Timbales” by Philidor. Pleasure was written over the faces of audience and choir alike as they experienced the aural and visual delights of Baroque military drumming.  Equally pleasurable was Andy’s performance of his own arrangement of “Little Polly’s Polka” by Keith Bartlett for Timpani to which Andy brought in the Brass to contribute a delicious “oom pah pah accompaniment at the end.

 It was fitting that all forces came together for the final piece, “Te Deum” one of John Rutter’s most popular works.  In three movements the two outer sections fully exploit the technical virtuosity of players and singers alike and it was a credit to all that the balance was so well judged and that every syllable was clearly audible above the rich textures of the accompaniment.  The more contemplative and reflective central movement featured five soloists drawn from the choir and a highly decorative organ part performed with sensitivity by Eileen Bown.  The Minster was filled with glorious sounds and final tribute must go to the inspiring leadership and conducting of the Music Director, David Murray.  A receptive audience left the performers in no doubt that it had been an evening to remember.”

 Vincent Smith

The Society is pleased to announce that there is now an additional way for our audience to obtain tickets for performances. Future concerts will be advertised on this site with a unique link to the WeGoTickets site holding tickets.

This organisation does not actually issue tickets but gives the purchasor a reference number, which will be used at the door in lieu of an actual ticket, but it does provide an immediate on-line option with credit card facilities, for a small booking charge. Their site will also provide additional publicity which internet users can consult by date, area, specific venue, or performers.

“Apparently it is the 20th time this society has sung Messiah and the first time they have sung all of it. Conductor David Murray caught the spirit from the onset, the large choir responding well to contrasting moods…. James Geer (tenor) excelled in the opening recitative Comfort Ye My people and the aria Every Valley Shall Be Exalted. Wyn Pencarry (bass – and a last minute substitute) made deep impact with For He Is Like A Refiner’s Fire, while Katherine Moore’s (Sunderland born soprano) articulation of the florid Rejoice greatly was superb. By contrast Sara Parry (mezzo-soprano) sang He Was Despised And Rejected with intense feeling. Trumpets enhanced the jubilant Hallelujah Chorus …. and the finale culminated in a vast fugal Amen Chorus which Handel designed to be the crowning glory of the oratorio. This thrilling climax was evocative of an uplifting and spiritual experience.”

If you can catch an edition of Songs of Praise to be broadcast on BBC 2 on Sunday 19th July at around 5.00 p.m. you will be see (and hear) a chamber choir from the Society contribute to ‘Songs of Praise from Sunderland and the North East’. Their recordings of ‘Awake, Awake to Love and Work’ and ‘Lord of All Hopefulness’ will start and end the programme.