“Three cheers for the Bishopwearmouth Choral Society! Their Spring concert proved to be the perfect tonic for a winter-weary audience.

Conductor David Murray chose an all-English programme: two ceremonial works, an Elgar favourite and a Walton blockbuster. It proved to be an inspired choice as the high quality of music-making demonstrated.

The concert began with a performance of Walton’s Crown Imperial. The orchestra delighted in the pomp and circumstance of the march and it proved to be the perfect introduction to the concert.

Elgar’s Serenade for Strings is a lovely work, the very essence of the English countryside. Murray brought out a terrific performance from his players: the slow movement, in particular, was beautifully phrased.

The coronation anthem I Was Glad by Parry is a rousing piece and gave the choir the perfect opportunity to show off their vocal range. The cries of Vivat! never fail to make the hairs on the back of the neck stand to attention. But this was merely an appetiser to the main course of the evening – Belshazzar’s Feast.

Walton’s oratorio, telling the story of the fall of Babylon and its ungodly king, is one of his most popular works but, with its cross-rhythms and unusual harmonies, is very difficult to perform well. This proved to be no problem for Murray’s performers who were equally at home with its reflective, unaccompanied sections and its fortissimo exclamations of delight. The high standard of the choir continues to attract excellent soloists and Matthew Brook was superb as the narrator. His vocal command was tremendous and he had a real sense of drama which brilliantly complemented the choir’s energy.

The final chorus summed up the whole evening: Make a joyful noise! This could not have been more appropriate as it was truly a joyful and uplifting concert.”

Keith Nixon

A Saturday evening event at Whitburn Parish Hall.

Tickets £6.00.

For all BCS members, family and friends. A social evening interspersed with food, quizzes, games and light hearted activity. Pies, Peas and Roast Potatoes (vegetarian option available) to be served at 8.00 p.m. Bring your own drinks and a pencil!

A Saturday morning event in Fulwell Methodist Church.

Why not join the Society in a social event which comes with a raffle and stalls, while enjoying the tea / coffee and a chat.

Only three questions were asked : Which post-code have you come from (first part only to protect your confidentiality), How did you hear about the concert, and What age group are you in?

As we would expect the majority of our audience were from Sunderland – or at least five of its post-codes – but others came from Washington, North and South Shields and the prize for the furthest travelled goes to those who came from Stowmarket! Of these most (77%) had heard of the concert from a Society member, with a small number hearing from a friend, our web-site, a previous programme, or from the new banner which was outside the venue. Especial thanks for telling us your age group – 53% of the returns admitted to being over 65 and 17% were under 35.

Once again the Society would like to thank all of those who left a reply for us to consider. We are much obliged.

The Bishopwearmouth Choral Society’s traditional December concert treated the audience to a pre-Christmas fare of musical delights but included a turkey which was not to everyone’s taste.

Conductor David Murray chose an all-Vaughan Williams programme for thefirst half: The Lark Ascending and An Oxford Elegy. It was a curious choice as the summery music and words sat uncomfortably with an audience wrapped up against the freezing weather. Martin Hughes excelled in the violin solo part of The Lark, a mini-concerto which leaves the soloist highly exposed (literally) at the end.

An Oxford Elegy, set to poems by Matthew Arnold about an academic wishing to lead the life of a gipsy, is very rarely performed – and deservedly so. Andrew Scott narrated it well with wonderful expression, which helped to bring the piece to some sort of life but the choir did not seem comfortable with Vaughan Williams’ pseudo-ethereal wordless mutterings and Arnold’s dull text.

The second half of the concert, however, showed the choir in its true colours. They seemed delighted to trade in their spluttering V W and they found the perfect vehicle in Bob Chilcott’s high-octane arrangement of carols. The Coventry Carol was beautifully sung while the Sussex Carol was full of energy and fun.

Soprano Clare Tunney’s contribution to the concert delighted the audience. Her flawlessly executed phrasing in The Little Road to Bethlehem had everyone spellbound. Clare clearly has a very bright future ahead of her and it was a pity that her performance here was restricted to only three carols.

The concert finished with Chilcott’s take on The Twelve Days of Christmas, in which the ‘five gold rings’ refrain appears in an array of guises. The choir revelled in its humour and sent the audience home in high spirits.

Keith Nixon

A Friday evening concert in Ewesley Road Methodist Church, Chester Road, Sunderland,SR4 7RJ.

There are no tickets for this event but any donations at the time would be most welcome.

Once again the Bishopwearmouth Young Singers and the Chamber Choir of Bishopwearmouth Choral Society are coming together to offer you a lively concert in preparation for Christmas, followed by refreshments.