St. Andrew's Church was filled with the sound of music, both instrumental and vocal at the Penrith Singer's concert. The large audience enjoyed a varied programme of John Rutter, John Tavener and Karl Jenkins. The evening began with John Rutter's Gloria, a challenging work with plenty of rousing rhythms and changes of time, which were sung with enthusiasm.

This was followed by John Tavener's unaccompanied Song for Athene, which was performed confidently, the haunting melodies echoing around the building with great effect.

It was a treat to hear Karl Jenkin's The Armed Man. This emotive work covers so many styles and the choir rose to the challenge. In particular the Sanctus was sung with feeling and a good range of dynamics. The instrumental players complemented the choir well, the timps making both audience and choir members jump at times, even if the amazing percussion section overwhelmed the singing on a couple of occasions.

It was encouraging to see members of the choir singing the solo parts and credit must go to Colin Marston for bringing it all together.

The appreciative comments from members of the audience reflected the success of the evening.

-- Jackie Wright

In this country we associate Handel’s Messiah with Christmas but in Europe, and particularly in Germany, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio is more usually sung. A substantial audience in St Andrew’s church was looking forward to Christmas with a difference! However Christmas Oratorio was written to be sung at six separate services from Christmas Day 1734 to Epiphany 1735 rather than in one session in concert, so the first question when performing it is to decide which of the six parts to sing. The Penrith Singers under the direction of Colin Marston solved this problem admirably by choosing the first three cantatas of the Oratorio plus the sixth: the four cantatas included two stirring ones with trumpets and timpani and two more reflective pastoral ones while retaining the flow of the Nativity narrative from St Luke and St Matthew.

The performance on Sunday started with a flourish of trumpets and rhythmic energetic singing from the Penrith Singers, with the sopranos matching the bright sound of the trumpets on the high notes. The ladies’ red scarves added to the festive feeling! The tenor, Richard Pollock, as the Evangelist began the story with the familiar words from St Luke’s Gospel, clearly projected and propelling the story onwards. Mezzo-soprano Kathryn Rudge, only twenty-two-years-old, sang the first aria with well-controlled ornaments and coloratura; and then the baritone Mario Solimene followed with a velvety legato. The birth of Jesus was described and we moved into the shepherds’ tale with the pastoral Sinfonia. As the glory of the Lord shone around the shepherds, the choir sang, "Break forth, O beauteous heavenly light" with fervour and intensity. Then the soprano Emma Peaurt stood for the first time in the role of the angel, arresting in her delivery of the news, striking in her red dress. Later she sang a duet with the bass in which their two lines were perfectly matched and phrased.

Highlights from the Penrith Singers were the heavenly host singing "Glory to God" in an exuberant chorus with every line and entry well-marked. This contrasted with the calm word-painting of the section "And peace on earth". There was beauty too in the dynamics of the chorale "Thee with tender care I’ll cherish"; and in the clarity of the descending bass line in "Beside thy cradle here I stand". The final chorale was rousing with the legato chorus lines floating through the complex orchestral writing and the performance rounded off with a reprise of the first chorus.

The orchestra led by Susan Johnson tackled Bach’s complex writing competently and with energy. Ian Hare provided strong support on the organ continuo. Thank you to the Penrith Singers and Colin Marston for such an enjoyable opportunity to prepare for the message of Christmas.

-- Janet Hornby

After days of wet and windy weather, the clouds parted, the wind was gone, and the sun shone, as the audience gathered in St Andrews Church to listen to a heart-warming concert of, largely, English music given by the Penrith Singers.

The evening began with a performance of Byrd’s “Mass for Four Voices”. The four parts of the unaccompanied choir were so clear and secure, while there was an opportunity for eight choir members to sing as a chamber choir during parts of the Gloria.

As we celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Mendelssohn, and as his music is such a part of our English musical heritage, it was fitting to hear, first, a performance of one of his preludes and fugues and then the much loved “Hear My Prayer”. The sound of the organ filled the Church as the fugue was carried forward in its rhythmic intensity. The audience could not fail to respond to such a consummate performance given by Ian Hare, who then continued in his accompanying role, as “Hear My Prayer” followed. Not to be sung this evening by boy soprano and choristers, to which we are so accustomed, but by soprano Emma Peaurt, and the mixed voices of Penrith Singers. And how well they brought out the anguished cry of the psalmist: “The wicked oppress me, ah where shall I fly?”, and then there was power and yet sensitivity in Emma’s rendering of, “O for the wings, for the wings of a dove”.

The first part of the concert closed with another much loved piece, “Serenade to Music” by Vaughan Williams. Composed originally, for 16 famous singers of the day, in this evening’s performance Emma Peaurt was joined by tenor, Simon Martindale, and choir members Phoebe Power, Jenny Stewart, Helen Thornley, Helen Graham and Margaret Nelson. In a setting of words from “The Merchant of Venice”, the soprano mirrored the sentiment of “How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank,” while the choir responded in solos and together in “touches of sweet harmony”.

Part 2 began on a more sombre note as Purcell’s “Funeral Music for the death of Queen Mary” sounded on the organ as though cornets and trumpets were accompanying the steady walk of the funeral procession of 1695. The choir then sang settings of funeral sentences accompanied so quietly and closing with hymn like sonority.

As Emma sang two songs, “A Last Year’s Rose” and “Love’s philosophy” by Roger Quilter, one realised how intimately both voice and piano must blend to create a complete performance. So thanks go to Rachel Carruthers for her equally vital role as pianist.

The five Spirituals from Tippett’s “a Child of our Time” were sung by the unaccompanied choir with soprano and tenor soloists, conveying so well all their variety of moods.

-- LKT