Diverse programme from Swedish and French songs to Muppets and more

Henley Choral Society Christmas concert
St Mary’s Church, Henley
Saturday, December 13

CONDUCTOR Richard Harker created a diverse programme of styles and genres celebrating Christmas songs and carols throughout the ages and, with Henley Youth Choir also taking part, singers provided an uplifting experience for everyone present.

The concert began with an atmospheric candlelit procession of Santa Lucia, a traditional Swedish Carol, arranged by Harker for all his singers.

Organist Doug Tang played a magnificent introduction to Christus Natus Est, a sequence of five medieval carols arranged by Cecilia McDowall, with new harmonies creating different moods.

Claudia Klaver led the female voices with a fine solo verse in Entre le Boeuf, one of the oldest surviving carols dating from 13th century France. Next, choir soloists Melissa Maple and Thomas Foster enhanced Harold Darke’s setting of Rossetti’s In the Bleak Midwinter.

Elenor Vockins was the soprano soloist in Magnificat in G, one of the most celebrated and enduring choral works by the Irish-born composer Charles Villiers Stanford. Her lovely high notes soared above the choir, showing us just why she is the society’s first “Voices of the Future” Choral Scholar for 2025 to 2026.

There were new arrangements of traditional carols, such as Chilcott’s Sussex Carol, an exuberant dance-like setting in 7/8 time with joyful two- and three-part canons. Pianist Anita D’Attellis accompanied in a similarly buoyant, cheerful style.

Another rhythmically dynamic arrangement was Robinson’s take on the old French Carol Il Est Né, Le Divin Enfant, sung by the Junior and Senior Youth Choirs, who mastered the mixed metres well.

In the second half there was a Messiah “mash-up”, comprised of three Handel choruses, including frequent interjections of the famous Hallelujah chorus.

The Three Kings by Peter Cornelius (arr. Atkins) was led by choir soloist Graham Marsden and here the full choir accompanied with balanced and sympathetically sustained harmonies. Following this, Simon Gregory’s arrangement of Shepherds Shake off your Sleep provided good musical contrast.

The Junior Youth Choir sang Torches beautifully in unison before branching into two-part canon, while the Senior Youth Choir sang Styne’s Let it Snow (arr. L’Estrange), neatly capturing the jazzy rhythms and harmonies.

Audience participation came with two traditional carols, arranged by Willcocks. As a fun item, a medley from The Muppet Christmas Carol was performed by everyone, with the audience encouraged to add in ghost noises, “yeah” and a “We’re Marley and Marley” refrain. To finish, we heard highlights from the musical Frozen, which the younger members sang with great enthusiasm.

Maureen Idowu