21st December - CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Eleanor Turner, Harp with St Martin's Singers, directed by Fergus Black.
* John Rutter - The Angel's carol
* Humphrey Clucas - Pro Nobis for unaccompanied female choir
* Jean-Michel Damase - Sicilienne Variée for harp
* Benjamin Britten - Ceremony of Carols
Solo parts were taken by Anna Belson, Tina Morrell, Karen Philpott, Sarah Brown and Sophie Tate.
One of England's best young harp players, 16 talented female singers, an experienced musical director and a programme of 20th century music - this was a heady mix for a Christmas concert.
Was it the tunefulness of the Rutter carol, the intensity of the Pro Nobis by Clucas, the virtuosity of Eleanor Turner playing the Damase or the sheer variety in the Britten that made it so special? It's hard to say, but the clarity of the singing and the combination with the harp were stunning.
A member of the audience commented 'this is a new sound for Stamford'. How right. This concert was a gem.
John Pye 22 Dec 2005
12th November FAURÉ REQUIEM WORKSHOP
Choral workshop and concert performance
Directed by Jeremy Summerly
Radio Three broadcaster and one of the country's leading choral conductors, Jeremy Summerly, directed a well-known and favourite Requiem. Soloists were Moira Johnston and Richard Collins, with Alec Hone playing the organ.
Singers gained a new insight into the Fauré requiem during the intensive workshop in the afternoon and Jeremy conjured a performance of remarkable quality and sensitivity. The choir, about 50 in number was ideally suited to the acoustic at St Martin's and was well balanced with the organ.
The programme commenced with Holst's setting of Psalm 86, which contrasted with the Fauré. It is scored for full choir (first split Alto and Tenor, or Soprano and Bass), with a Tenor Soloist and a Semichorus of higher voices.The tenor solo was sung by Adrian Wall.
27th August – SACCONI QUARTET
A memorable concert, with technical brilliance and sensitive interpretation that held the total attention of a large and appreciative audience.
The Sacconi String Quartet was formed at London's Royal College of Music in 2001 and is now acknowledged as one of the finest young string quartets in the country.
Haydn op 20 no 6 in A major (from the "Sun Quartets")
Haydn op 50 no 1 in B flat (from the "Prussian Quartets")
Haydn op 76 no 5 in D major
The concert was jointly promoted as part of the Lincoln and Lincolnshire International Chamber Music Festival, and the South Kesteven series Music in Quiet Places.
5th August - SHATTERED REFRACTION
An Organ recital by Fergus Black, with Anna Belson, Soprano
This organ recital contained quite a few surprises. Given by Fergus Black, resident organist, and soprano Anna Belson, the programme, with the enigmatic title 'Shattered Refraction and Ethereal Beauty', featured works by many modern composers, including the dramatic Annum per Annum by Arvo Part, where the organ could be heard to be doing some unusual tricks, in this case, creating a diminuendo by being turned off!
Novelty aside, this concert entertained and informed, with a fresh sound, in which the organ seemed to acquire a different personality to its usual churchy self -- perhaps most of all in the pieces for soprano and organ where the 'voices' combined in a very attractive way. A memorable concert with many highlights, moments of high drama, quiet reflection, and even, at times, ethereal beauty.
Joy Pye 11.08.05
16th July - THE SIXTONES
Take a fine old church bathed in sunlight, an expectant audience, and six talented singers whose aim is to delight and entertain, and the stage is set for a memorable evening.
Such was the case at St Martin's Church, Stamford, when The Sixtones, a group of six singers from Lincoln Cathedral presented a tightly focused programme concentrating on 16C Renaissance polyphony and 20C classical pops. Featuring the 'greats' of both periods -- Palestrina, Byrd, and Tallis, Gershwin, Beatles, and Abba, amongst a whole host of others of equal charm, the musical offering throughout contained variety, spontaneity, and a controlled exuberance which was most engaging. My personal 'take home' was a setting of The Lamentations of Jeremiah by Osbert Parsley which, despite its title, was full of glistening harmonies above a firm and resonant bass -- truly music for the soul.
Joy Pye 17 July 2005
The group consisted of Aric Prentice, John Gull, Keith Haliday, Will Burn, Graham Chapman and Will Harrison.
11th June - WEST GALLERY MUSIC
The William East Quire, in 18th Century costume and directed by Sue Glover gave a fascinating and entertaining insight into "West Gallery Music", the church-music tradition established in the 1700s.
The concert included audience participation and the second half was an abbreviated Evensong including music from the period.
West Gallery Music
For more information about West Gallery Music, see the informative web site Gallery Music maintained by Sue Glover.
Another informative source is the official web site of the West Gallery Music Association
26th February - MESSIAH WORKSHOP
St Martin 's Church, Stamford, hosted an impressive musical event, when a large and enthusiastic group of singers came together under the firm guidance of conductor Paul White, to rehearse and deliver what turned out to be a very successful and robust performance of Handel's Messiah.
The chorus was fortunate in having the support of organist David Lovell-Brown, as well as four superb solosits-- Moira Johnston, Soprano, Aric Prentice, Alto, Keith Halliday, Tenor, and Richard Collins, Baritone, who each contributed enormously to the success and enjoyment of the evening. The highlight of the performance for the choir was undoubtedly the exciting Hallelujah Chorus, but the final 'Amen' also allowed the choir to achieve a very satisfying resonance which certainly had the rafters ringing!
Joy Pye 27.02.05
