Handel's Messiah, Swansea
Philharmonic Choir 50th Anniversary Concert, 19th April 2008
"St Mary's Church,
Swansea, was full to capacity on Saturday night for a performance of
Messiah by Swansea Philharmonic Choir. Messiah? At Easter? Ah yes, but
this was a recreation of 50 years ago when the choir gave it's
inaugural performance of Messiah at St Mary's under the baton of their
founder/conductor, Haydn James. How else to begin celebrating its 50th
birthday?
"So was there much difference in the two performances? The choir is now
nearly double in size (so bit of a squash at the back!), but I think
Haydn James would have approved of this night's work. Under Clive
John's baton, the conductor for the past 25 years, there was controlled
singing from the choir, with the faster choruses such as And He Shall
Purify dancing along as Handel would have intended, and real control in
the slower movements.
"The soloists, Natalia Romaniw, Alison Kettlewell, Mark Chaundy and
Paul Carey Jones, were accomplished with the bass outstanding in The
Trumpet shall sound. The Chamber Orchestra of Wales generally
supported well, and the audience went home pleased with their evening's
entertainment."
South Wales Evening
Post, 24th April 2009
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