Gounod & Faure 20th March 2010

The audience arrived en masse to hear a profusion of luscious French melodies in East Grinstead Choral Society’s Concert last Saturday 20th March. The concert, in the choir’s “home venue” St. Mary’s Church, Windmill Lane, was a fitting tribute to their former conductor Gordon Hughes who died earlier this year.

The two main works, Fauré’s celebrated “Requiem” and Gounod’s colourful “Messe Solennelle de Sainte Cécile saw the choir in sparkling form under the baton of their current musical director Richard Jenkinson. Both works displayed a broad dynamic spectrum, excellent tuning and clear diction.

Highlights of the Fauré included both the Agnus Dei and the Libera Me. The opening tenor line in the Agnus had a sonorous legato and the sopranos Lux Aeterna was memorable for it’s delicate, ethereal quality. The sopranos seemed less assured singing In Paradisum which lacked confidence and wasn’t quite synchronized to start. Sarah Corp (soprano) sang the “Pie Jesu” with a good sense of line but unfortunately the higher notes tended to be a little flat. Simon Wilson’s rich bass voice was commanding in the Libera Me and the choir’s Dies Irae had intense drive and energy.

Richard Pilliner played the organ accompaniment sensitively throughout the work.

Gounod’s “Messe Solennelle de Sainte Cécile written in 1855 marked the climax of his liturgical output. It is full of continuously unfolding melodies and none more so than the jaunty Credo – I’m singing the tune now as I write! The expansive unison opening of the Credo is a bold affirmation of faith, which the choir conveyed with confidence. The more reverential Et incarnatus est was completely contrasting and saw soloists and chorus singing antiphonally as they did for most of the work. I also enjoyed the Sanctus, which started with tenor soloist John Upperton singing yet another lyrical French melody very beautifully.

As a final tribute and thanksgiving to Gordon Hughes, the concert finished with the “Gloria” which he composed for the choir. I thought this was a real breath of fresh air. Although the voices weren’t always quite together, the piece was exciting and demanding and built to a wonderful final Amen.

Thanks and praise are of course due to Richard Jenkinson whose expressive musical direction ensured that the concert was such a resounding success.

Virginia Stone