Grantham Choral Society is on song for Spring Concert in Diamond Jubilee year

For its Spring Concert last Saturday at St Wulfram's Church the Grantham Choral Society under the able direction of David Humphreys presented three comparatively well-known works: Vivaldi's setting of the Magnificat canticle, and Mozart's Vesperae Solennes performed either side of Handel's Organ Concerto, Op.4 No.6, writes James Bone.

Although both choral pieces were written for church performance, and composed only some 50 years apart, they present very different challenges for all concerned.

Originally written for the girls of the Ospedale della Pietà in Venice, but later rewritten to include a couple of florid solo sections as well as parts for tenor and bass section, the choir coped very well with grand, block-like passages of harmony: the grateful acoustic of St Wulfram's adding considerably to the effect with the sounds left ringing in the air.

Although short, Vivaldi's work offers plenty of opportunity for dramatic contrast and expression. Both choir and soloists took full advantage, switching in an instant between muted, pathos-filled passages – complete with suitably sustained string accompaniment – to loud, attention-grabbing declamatory style.

It was obvious the choir enjoyed singing with verve 'Desposuit potente de sede' ('He hath put down the mighty') in octave unison. Similarly, soprano, Charlotte Jane Kennedy, and mezzo-soprano, Lucy Gibbs dealt admirably with the more ornate solo sections, with the English Pro Musica String Ensemble, complete with harpsichord continuo, providing sensitive accompaniment.

Handel – a superb organist, himself – would frequently interpolate his lighter keyboard concertos in between acts of large, serious oratorios. Possibly the best-known of his organ concertos (it is sometimes performed on harp), the Concerto in B-flat added a welcome and pleasing note of contrast with Tim Selman performing the solo part on the chamber organ. Although necessarily intimate in scale and sound given the forces at his disposal, the bubbling virtuosity of Handel's writing allowed Mr Selman's skills to shine through. Ornamentation was always tight and neat and nothing went to waste; even the very limited organ registration was entirely appropriate, matching the suitably chamber-like palette of the English Pro Musica.

Mozart's Solemn Vespers changed the mood completely: here was grand, ceremonial pomp written originally for Prince-Archbishop Colloredo of Salzburg, most famous for ordering the peremptory dismissal of his infinitely more gifted court composer with an ignominious kick down the stairs.

Like Vivaldi's Magnificat, the Solemn Vespers requires an almost kaleidoscopic constant variation of textures and shifting of instrumental, choral and soloistic forces with the added difficulty that all the words had to be accommodated, on the Archbishop's instructions, into a slot of less than half an hour. Glad to say, the Choral Society made a confident start and held its own against almost symphonic string textures.

Here, the soloists, uniformly excellent, came into their own much more, this time as a vocal-quartet ensemble with tenor, Simon Brown, and bass, Jaimie Woolard adding a masculine and decidedly operatic richness and depth. 'Beatus vir', was particularly good in this respect, and even the choir made the most of Mozart's rather theatrical 'Amens' which followed.

Pursuit of the almost Baroque fugal writing in 'Laudate pueri' which followed, however, was made harder by the absence of orchestral brass but, in fairness, organ and harpsichord continuo followed the composer's instructions to the letter. It is always gratifying to hear continuo used in early Classical repertoire.

When the girls of the Pietà sang or played for the general public they were required to hide themselves behind screens. Fortunately this is one tradition neither current nor required because it was especially good to hear Grantham Choral Society sing as, formed in 1963, it celebrated its Diamond Jubilee this year which really was an occasion to mark.

At a time when choral singing in England is generally under threat of philistine funding-cuts never has the old adage 'use it or lose it' been more appropriate. The Choral Society serves Grantham very well. Happy anniversary!