Review: Full and soaring melodies at Henley Choral Society's spring concert

WE were promised a treat, with a full programme of emotional and inspiring music and that was indeed what the audience experienced.

There was no doubt in my mind that conductor Richard Harker, the City of London Sinfonia, two soloists Alison Langer and Ross Ramgobin and 100-strong Henley Choral Society have lived and breathed this programme for months, preparing diligently so as to perform with great impact.

First was the Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber, universally recognisable and here in safe and skilful hands to set a mood of dignified pathos to our programme. Calm and exquisite strings paced us through its slow build, climax and measured resolution.

Next came the solo soprano performer Alison with Four Last Songs by Richard Strauss, which he wrote as a wistful goodbye to a vanished world in 1948. Her full and soaring melodies lifted our spirits, with the enigmatic little phrase of September echoed by horns and orchestra. The third song, While going to sleep, with its beautiful strings and her rich tones, was truly spine-tingling. Memorable too were the flute’s fluttering larks enhancing her haunting In the Twilight.

After the interval we came back to settle down to Brahms’s mighty German Requiem. Unlike other religious requiems this was intended as a comfort to the living, with Blessed are they that mourn in F major setting the tone and with the choir clearly singing of Comfort. The second movement brought moving intensity as the choir were in gloriously coordinating full voice.

Then came the third, with its challenging dramas and key changing; the choir showed great mettle enhanced by Ross’s powerfully projected, splendid baritone solo. No torment but comfort symbolised by the change from minor to major.

Perhaps the most recognisable theme came with the lyrical fourth’s How lovely are thy dwelling places and beautifully woven tunes between the voices.

The fifth was magnificently sublime with Alison’s solo soprano interspersing beautifully See you again with the choir’s clear and warm Comfort enveloping us.

We felt the drama of the sixth from solo baritone again, rich and steady, matched by triumphant clear vocal power from the choir and sympathetic interweaving from the orchestra. Sustained high-note passages again gripped us from energetic sopranos. And finally, the seventh movement returned us to F major, and Blessed, from whence we began the story of comfort replacing anguish, leaving us calm.

We don’t know if Brahms created this piece in memory of his mother or his friend Schumann.

We do know this was a thoughtfully designed programme, superbly conducted by Richard Harker and with a great professional orchestral performance throughout.

There was much to admire in the soloists’ fullness and warmth. And a full-hearted, accomplished performance from the choir. What a treat.

The Henley Choral Society's spring concert took place on Saturday, March 14.