Category Archives: singing in concerts

Call me Al (1): my Assembly Rooms début

A couple of years ago I missed the chance to sing Zimbe! with Bristol Choral Society, as I was doing my bit for mixing musical culture across continents by singing Messiah in India. But it caught up with me, as … Continue reading

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the Evangelist jinx

I wonder whether I should be allowed to sing the St Matthew Passion at all, given that I seem to bring illness with me when I perform it. The first time I did so, the Evangelist was unwell and his … Continue reading

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The Sea Symphony (2): Cardiff

Our third performance of the Sea Symphony was at St David’s Hall in Cardiff. I hope our diction came over well because the audience (who’d chosen us in preference to Ireland v Wales in the rugby) weren’t able to get … Continue reading

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The Sea Symphony (1): Basingstoke and London

The first two of Bristol (+ Gloucester) Choral Society’s three outings with the Philharmonia Orchestra, John Wilson and the Sea Symphony were to the Anvil, Basingstoke, and to the Royal Festival Hall, where we were joined by Philharmonia Voices. I’ll … Continue reading

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BCS … with bling

I missed Bristol Choral Society’s Messiah last year, so my memory needed a bit of refreshing this time. Our orchestra was the Bristol Ensemble, which meant modern pitch, and the high notes went with a bit more zing. We had … Continue reading

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a memorial concert

We had a particular involvement in Bristol Choral Society’s Verdi Requiem in Colston Hall with the British Sinfonietta, as we contributed to the cost in memory of my late father-in-law. I was singing, and in fact this was the first … Continue reading

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Dibble-Dibble. . . GUSTAV!!

In the immortal words of Leif Segerstam. I don’t know whether he was talking about Mahler 8, but it seems an appropriate response. At last, an opportunity came round to perform this again. It didn’t work out quite as planned, … Continue reading

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The Bristol Connection

The final concert of Bristol Choral Society’s season, in the Cathedral, was largely music connected to Bristol. (Incidentally I had my triennial audition, and can continue to sing.) Bristol does not feature very largely on the map of British composers. … Continue reading

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Some contrasting Magnificats

The Erleigh Cantors sang a concert in St Peter’s Earley, built around three settings of the Magnificat. Two were settings we’ve trotted out in various Cathedrals: Giles Swayne’s (I have been so well drilled in this that I can now … Continue reading

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Poulenc’s Gloria (2)

I joined CanZona (replacing a singer with a broken leg) for a concert in Holy Trinity Bradford (on Avon) conducted by David Bishop. I’d never sung in this church before; it has a pleasant acoustic though the chancel is narrow … Continue reading

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Poulenc’s Gloria (1)

The first outing of Poulenc’s Gloria was with Bristol Choral Society and the National Children’s Orchestra in Colston Hall conducted by Howard Williams with Rhiannon Llewellyn as soloist. In fact the NCO run several orchestras, and we performed with the … Continue reading

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Where’s the audience for Haydn?

Bristol Choral Society’s latest concert was Haydn’s Creation in Colston Hall. We were joined by soloists Helen-Jane Howells, Paul Badley and David Ireland and accompanied by the Bristol Ensemble (I was particularly impressed by their flutes warbling and trilling their … Continue reading

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