Performers brought home
loveliness of
- BRAHMS'S Requiem is
a fulsome, lyrical work
which is best enjoyed in
a fully relaxed position.
Indeed, 1 last heard it
lying flat out in the are~na of the Royal Albert
"
The Guildford Philharmonic
It was a disciplined perforBrian Wright conducted, giv-,
mance, firmly rhythmical and
ing a great deal of attention to
Orchestra accompanied — and
one in which the enjoyment of . that is the correct word, for
some fine detail of dynamics in
the opening chorus, to the lyri- the#singers was as evident in
this is predominantly choral
work — impeccably, supportthe moments of sensitive, delical flow of choruses. such as
How Lovely Are Thy Dwell- cate singing as in the more
ing the harmonic choral line
monumental passages. Credit,
with ‘just the right level of
ings and to the sheer power of
therefore, not only to the singthe penultimate chorus with its
-sound.
ers and their conductor for a
defiant Death Where Is Thy
The requiem was preceded |
Sting? message. The large cho- . musical achievement of a high
by that fine string composition,
ral forces responded magnifiorder. complete with crisp GerFantasia on a Theme by
man enunciation, but alse to
cently to his baton, producing
Thomas Tallis by Vaughan
season.
the best sound I have ever
the preparatory work done by
Williams (which must be one
Space is what this comp051the Guildford Philharmonic
heard in the cathedral (but
of music’s more confusing
tion needs, so Guildford
why weren’t the Goldsmiths
Choir’s chorus master Simon titles), in which the principal
Cathedral was a fine choicc for
rent-a-chorus at Guildford for
Halsey.
+ feature was thée commendable
last Saturday’s performance of
Two. distinguished soloists
the larger Berlioz work?). The
breadth of phrasing achieved
Brahms’s Requiem, when the - sopranos sang beautifully, the
added further pleasure to the
by the orchestra, thus building
‘combined forces of Guildford
evenming, David Wilson-Johnalto line floated across the
on those long, sustained chords
Philharmonic Orchestra, the
son bringing
a rich vein to his
nave in a most beguiling way
which set the mood for the en- Philharmonic Choir and Goldsolo while Sheila Armstrong
and, by heck. even the tenors
_tire piece.
smiths Choral Union brought
was
magically
delicious
in
the
were impressive as théy soared
home to a large audience the
in with the final “selig smd dzc «expressively tranquil Ihr Habt
" loveliness of this music.
Nun Traurigkeit.
“toten.”’
Hall one hot evening
during the ’84 Proms
'
Robert Benjafield.