This played host to a concert last night given by A Handful of Singers. This choir is relatively new, and its emergence is some evidence that Bath has been under-provided with good chamber choirs for the number of singers here. (Along with the lengthy waiting lists for auditions for some of the others!) As far as I can tell from talking to people recruitment is only by invitation from existing members. [correction: at the moment – April 2009 – the choir is having a recruitment drive. See the notice in the window of Bath Compact Discs]
The programme was had a 19th-century theme, with choral and solo pieces interspersed with appropriate readings. I usually approach ‘music and readings’ events with some concern, because in my experience the combination can lead to an excessively long programme. (I recall a concert of this type I once sang in, themed on the chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, which lasted for going on three hours!) However this time the balance and quantity of the various components was right. Most of the choral pieces were ones I’d done at one time or another, but it was good to hear them nicely sung. I was interested in particular to find out that Rheinberger’s Abendlied, well known to me, has a companion Morgenlied.
The Museum isn’t usually used for concerts, but this was a fund-raising event. I didn’t see any posters for it, and it looked as if most of the audience were friends and family of the performers (I knew two of them).
I did get to some of the Mozartfest concerts, and will write about that next.