Reviews of Past Concerts
Below are extracts from reviews that Croydon Philharmonic Choir have
received.
Bizet's 'The Pearl Fishers'
accompanied
by the New London Sinfonia and conducted by David Gibson
Review – Croydon Advertiser Group
Bizet’s The Pearl Fishers is known
to most of us for its over-familiar famous duet for tenor and baritone, Au
fond du temple saint. It was going to be interesting to hear the rest of the
opera, even if in concert form, though one had been told it was not exactly
full of ‘big’ tunes in the manner of the same composer’s Carmen.
It turned out to be an extremely
interesting work, with considerably dramatic moments, with conductor David
Gibson keeping a tight rein on the proceedings in all directions. The New
London Sinfonia, led by Martin Smith, was well up to par with brass on both
sides of the stage, to be singled out for playing with notable good taste,
never brash and always enriching a scene. All sections did justice to
Bizet’s colourful
writing.
Stylistically, the music was akin to
Gounod with the diabetic risks removed, richly orchestrated with some
full-blooded chorus work and typical Romantic solo/duet work. Conductor David
Gibson dwelt on the sentiment of the drama while keeping any wallowing in
sentimentality well at bay.
There had been problems in securing a
soprano soloist to replace the unwell Jeni Burn, the solution finally being
Alicia Fasche (I’m guessing about the spelling – there was no time for a
printed insert), who had sung it five years ago but in English. This
performance was - wisely! – in French. Reports are that she is a fine
professional chorus singer as well as a most capable coloratura soloist and
many of us present will be looking out for the name. Baritone Gavin Carr
radiated powerful noblesse in both singing and demeanour, while tenor Nicholas
Ransley sang with beautiful lyrical grace though not always able to cut
through the weight of noise when required to join with chorus and orchestra in
full flow. The priest was sung with dignity by Rupert Whittaker.
As for the Croydon Philharmonic Choir,
it continued in its recent trend toward the best choral styles, never merely
blasting forth and all parts ever-aware of the need to balance well, while
always singing to sell us not so much on its unquestionable enthusiasm as on
the high quality of the music. Yet it never sang weakly, even though there
were tenors missing through illness and the remaining ones might easily have
been drowned by the weight of numbers but for the prevailing sensitivity. We
must hope that the smaller audience than usual won’t deter the organizers
from treading this continually adventurous path. Those present were extremely
enthusiastic about the concert and it depends on them to drag along
next time those who’d have come if it had been yet another Messiah or
whatever other “popular” work. They’d be more than pleasantly surprised.
Howard
Thomas
Verdi's Requiem
sung from memory, accompanied
by the New London Sinfonia and conducted by David Gibson
The Advertiser [Croydon]
Reviewer: Howard Thomas
Choir is on majestic form
"It is a pleasure to see [...] the extent to which David
Gibson has moulded the Croydon Philharmonic Choir into a body which looks
good, makes all of its sounds together and excitingly can present an old work
like Verdi's Requiem freshly.
The opening benefited immensely from having everyone [...] confidently
looking across toward the conductor and therefore toward the audience, getting
the work off to a very good start. Choral diction was clear throughout the
work.
The Croydon Phil produced some pretty awesome majesty tonight. Long may it
remain so!"
Great Choral Classics
with the BBC Concert
Orchestra conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes
The Advertiser [Croydon]
Reviewer: Roger Bing
Choir ensures event lives up to its title
"It is something of which the town should be inordinately proud...
Croydon Philharmonic Choir was in fine voice, and in particular with a most
sensitive rendition of Stainer's chorus God So Loved the World from The
Crucifixion. Unaccompanied, of course...
The choir rose to the demands of these great favourites with skill and
enthusiasm, and their success was vividly reflected in the great beam of
delight that spread across the conductor's face at the end. A shared triumph
was met with prolonged applause."
The Dream of Gerontius
Edward Elgar's
masterpiece with The New London Sinfonia, conducted by David Gibson
The Advertiser [Croydon]
Reviewer: Howard Thomas
Gerontius is given special treatment
".... The brighter sound of the the newly-restored
Philharmonic Choir, digitally enhanced by Gibson's clear conducting, gave a
more special, timeless quality to Elgar's music, and even to Newman's poetry,
than we generally have heard here...
There was an honest passion about the climaxing Praise to the Holiest,
as the choir soared splendidly...
I can only say that what came across was clarity of tone, good intonation,
well-defined entries (and exits) and a general choral discipline that would
have made Alan Kirby glow.
Singing is most importantly about conveying the meanings of words and these
were simply excellent...
In truth, this was the first time I had actually enjoyed this work from
cover to cover as we were swept along, not noticing the busy beat of
time."
David Gibson's Inaugural Concert
Bruckner's Te Deum
Tchaikovsky's Fantasy Overture: Romeo and Juliet
Janacek's Glagolitic Mass
with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
The Advertiser [Croydon]
Reviewer: Howard
Thomas
Great New Direction
"Subtitled a new direction Saturday's was the inaugural
concert of David Gibson, the Choir's dynamic new conductor who is only the
fourth in its long life.
....
Janacek's Glagolitic Mass was an enterprising choice to illustrate that 'new
direction'. If this is the choir's way ahead, we should all be out in force to
support really worthwhile local concerts, dragging our friends with us to
their conversions.
....
Traditionalists hoping that Janacek was a pseudonym for Handel left unhappily,
but the more open-minded beamed happily after this new and exciting
experience. On this showing Gibson will surely knock some cobwebs off
forthcoming Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams."
CPC with The BBC Concert Orchestra
A feast of outstanding choral classics under the baton of one of the
most charismatic of conductors — Owain Arwel Hughes.
The Advertiser [Croydon]
Reviewer: Roger Bing
Choir are in Fine Form
".... Amid the driving roar of Carmina Burana, and the
chirpy Polovtsian Dances of Borodin, though, rested the gem of the
evening, and while the emotions were cheerfully stirred by the expansive
choruses, it was this that acted as a sublime balm.
Ave Verum Corpus is a beautiful, tender piece which Mozart wrote in
the last six months of his life, a short motet for the choirmaster at Baden.
It was given a most moving interpretation here.
The Croydon choir was impressive throughout, especially for the
unaccompanied God So Loved the World from Stainer's Crucifixion.
