Gilbert and Sullivan music will linger after this skilled performance

THIS concert offered a tour of some of the best-known Gilbert and Sullivan music in a sequence of operettas dating from the first fruits of their collaboration (Trial by Jury) right through to their final collaboration on The Gondoliers, a period of 14 years.

This sort of concert presents its own special challenges. It’s like going on a guided tour of famous landmarks. You gain a different perspective on such a visit, compared to visiting individual landmarks and spending a few days exploring a specific location or musical work.

For a choir, it requires the ability to step in and out of different operatic characters, always injecting life and colour into the music they
perform.

In this case, it also exposes the demanding skills of unison singing. There is no hiding place and one person off-pitch would stand out embarrassingly.

To give some perspective, this performance was designed to be viewed through the prism of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 14-year partnership.

The linking narrative was delivered by BBC Radio Berkshire presenter Andrew Peach.

As always, the acid test is entertainment value and, on that score, the performance rated very highly. Conductor Chris McDade, in his final show as music director, directed operations very well assisted by the excellent piano accompaniment of Liz Collins for whom this offered considerable challenges, which she embraced superbly given the complexity of some parts of the score.

Of course, the choir revelled in the varied opportunities to sing some solo parts en masse as well as the familiar choruses of the various operettas.

The unison singing challenge was met with gusto and sensitivity and there were very few “scratchy” moments.

Perhaps the most amusing element was watching them fingering their scores like tourists consulting a Michelin tourist guide for the next port of call.

The choral highlights included all three Trial by Jury songs, the opening chorus of Pirates from Pirates of Penzance, the Entrance and March of the Peers from Iolanthe and the delightful Three Little Maids (Mikado) caricature by the sopranos and altos, who swung happily from being dainty fairies into the fortissimo reprise which humorously and deliberately owes more to St Trinian’s than anything else.

Great fun, great entertainment, all rounded off with brilliant choruses from The Gondoliers.

Gilbert and Sullivan was another “first” for Pangbourne Choral Society and the audience loved it all. The music will linger in the mind for many days yet.

The society can look forward with great encouragement to its golden anniversary season next year.

Peter Hayward