Cantata Choir – Chilcott “Little Jazz Mass” & Todd “Mass in Blue” Garfield Road Methodist Church, 7th October 2017
The first half of the concert featured Bob Chilcott”s “Little Jazz Mass” The Southern jazz influences can be heard throughout with crunching, dissonant chords being a great feature. The choir seemed to cope extremely well with this challenging genre.
The choir then took a break whilst the soloist for the evening, soprano Joanna L’Estrange sang two pieces. The first, a jazz standard by Michel Legrand, “What are you doing for the rest of your life” (made popular by Barbara Streisand) showed the amazing talent of one of England’s finest jazz vocalists.
Her second piece, “Tea Totally” was written by Joanna’s composer and jazz musician husband, Alexander L’Estrange. In her words this was a take on the British love of tea, a song full of witty humour.
The next item in the concert came from Joshua Attrill (saxophone and clarinet), a local boy who is currently studying music at Cardiff University, he treated us to medley of Gershwin songs – Joshua’s standard of playing was extraordinary, such a clean sound carrying the recognisable melodies
The second half was devoted to Will Todd’s “Mass in Blue” with choir, soloist and ensemble accompaniment. This has come to be a staple work in the choral repertoire.
All six movements of this work had their own unique styles, but all showcased exceptional use of syncopated rhythms and virtuosic solos from Joanna L’Estrange and each of the band members. Will Todd is regarded as composer who can cross the divide between classical and jazz and the Cantata Choir coped admirably with the afore mentioned tricky rhythms and also the extremes of vocal range.
On Sunday 7th May members of the choir travelled up to the Royal Albert Hall to join 1,500 other singers to perform the Mozart Requiem to a packed out concert hall. The trip was part of the 60th year celebrations of the choir. We all thoroughly enjoyed the day and are now thinking about planning another trip in the not too distant future!
Sopranos in blueAltos in redAnd Tenors and Basses in suits
It’s been 32 years since the Isle of Wight Cantata Choir performed Dvorák’s Stabat Mater, when the group was still in its early years. Indeed, some of its singers still remember the first time they approached this magnificent work, which was reprised last Saturday evening in the Medina Theatre.
For those who only know 19th century Czech composer Antonín Dvorák for his New World Symphony, this cantata is a revelation. It‘s unmistakably his, with its deft and approachable synthesis of classical, romantic and nationalist styles. But it also contains an extraordinary power, drawn from a well of sorrow. The Stabat Mater is a 13th century hymn to the Virgin Mary, portraying her suffering during her Son’s crucifixion. It’s a popular – if solemn – setting for composers stretching from Palestrina to Pärt, but in Dvorák’s case the hymn vents tangible pain, tempered by consolation. Written in grief over the loss of his daughter Josefa, the work was only completed after the tragic death of his remaining young children.
Both orchestra and choir took a little time to get into their stride, but once they did they were full of passion and energy. Under the baton of Rachel Tweddle, their final extended “Amen” almost raised the roof of the Medina Theatre. The choir was joined by professional soloists Peter Van Hulle (tenor), Adrian Clarke (baritone), stand-out mezzo-soprano Sarah Pring and soprano Sally Harrison. Particular mention must go to the woodwind and timpani sections of the orchestra.
The Cantata Choir is already looking forward to its next concert on 7th October, featuring two modern jazz-inspired Masses. For more information visit iowcantatachoir.co.uk.
There has been a great reaction to our concert last Saturday, a performance of Faure’s Requiem and Carr’s Requiem for an Angel.
Here are some of the comments from Twitter and Facebook
Moving and uplifting performance of Requiem for an Angel tonight. Was in tears twice. Wonderful
Powerful performance of my Requiem tonight @IOWCantata on the Isle of Wight! (Paul Carr, Composer)
Amazing Paul Carr Requiem For An Angel & Faure Requiem tonight with the brilliant @IOWCantata #choir #music #beautiful (Jessica Broad, soloist)
Such a pleasure to sing Paul Carr Requiem with @IOWCantata last night, a beautiful piece and a fantastic sing! (Robert Garland, soloist)
Unbelievably proud of the choir, orchestra and soloists at tonight’s concert – an outstanding and very moving performance from everyone involved. Your immense hard work paid off – THANK YOU!! (Rachel Tweddle Director of Music)
One of the UK’s leading contemporary composers, Will Todd, visited the Island last Saturday, 8th October, to hold a workshop for choral singers at St Catherine’s Church, Ventnor.
The event, which had been organised by the Isle of Wight Cantata Choir, was well attended by singers from several singing groups and thoroughly enjoyed by all.
Will led the workshop with enthusiasm and verve through a variety of his works, many of which have a jazz theme. The afternoon finished with a performance of his Jazz Missa Brevis, a work that was written by Will for Portsmouth Cathedral Choir.
One member of the choir summed the day up on Twitter: ‘Great day with Will Todd today, feeling happy, jazzy and exhausted!’
It is, unbelievably, twenty years since the bitter Britpop battle between Blur and Oasis. But 150 years ago, a similar head-to-head was taking place in Vienna: Brahms -v- Wagner…and Brahms’s German Requiem took it to a new level. Brahms was already courting controversy by rewriting a mass as a more humanist oratorio.
Then, on the opening night, disaster struck. A misreading by the percussionist of the score meant the orchestra was drowned out by drums, to howls of critical derision. Twenty years later, the piece was finally accepted as a concert hall staple and today is seen as pivotal in establishing Brahms as Beethoven’s successor.
So it was an excellent choice for the Isle of Wight Cantata Choir to add to its repertory. And with no such instrumental upsets under the baton of talented Rachel Tweddle, the 70-strong choir launched into the Requiem with passion last Saturday night at the Medina Theatre.
Unusually, the Requiem requires only two soloists. The renowned international soprano, Laura Mitchell, made the most of her brief appearance in a divine dialogue with the chorus on the themes of sorrow and comfort.
But the standout performance was from young baritone Christopher Cull, studying opera at the Guildhall: he is clearly destined for great things.
The orchestra displayed its skills to best effect in the Academic Festival Overture preceding the Requiem.
The work is based on student drinking songs (hence Brahms’s coupling with Liszt in Cockney rhyming slang?) and was played exuberantly.
The Cantata Choir rose admirably to the challenge of this difficult work and reached peak form in the sixth movement.
Men who can sing: your Island needs you. Only a third of the singers are tenor or bass and the Cantata is on the look-out for hale new recruits!
For more details on joining and upcoming concerts, the website is: iowcantatachoir.co.uk
