Grantham Choral Society's Autumn Concert offers a 'novel' alternative

In an unusual departure from the conventional large choral ‘standard’, this year’s Autumn Concert by the Grantham Choral Society offered a novel and challenging alternative with a programme of shorter musical items for choir and for soloist using the overarching Shakespearian theme of ‘The Food of Love’.

This unifying amorous motive might not have been immediately apparent had David Humphreys, the choir’s able conductor (and organist), not taken care to explain to the audience the very close connection that existed between the outwardly disparate forces required, and the huge variety of musical styles on offer.

These included the quintessentially English and ultra-lyrical solo songs of Roger Quilter arranged for choir, a couple of Elizabethan madrigals - for massed choir, an organ transcription of Walton’s film-music for Richard III, lieder for baritone - in both Swedish and German and very jazzy settings by John Rutter and George Shearing. The result was both a delight and a revelation, not least for demonstrating the universal appeal of these very well-known words for composers and audience alike.

When ‘Who is Sylvia’ was heard in three very different styles, for instance, the audience’s response was startlingly different in each case. Another very pleasant surprise was to hear the the range of organ tone-colour achieved by skilful registration in the only solo-instrumental piece. It was also good to hear the organ at ChristChurch, Finkin Street, put through its paces.

Elizabethan madrigals, in their original setting, were for a handful of singers, so that achieving vocal balance, clarity in intricate multi-voiced passages, and dynamic proportion with massed voices - which the Grantham Choral Society did, beautifully - was no mean feat. It would be difficult to imagine a harder task. The ‘call-and-answer’ passages in Farmer’s ‘Fair Phyllis’ were particularly well done with the tenors and basses - as shepherds - tempting their love-interest across the gallery.

Baritone Robert Haylett’s moving account of Gerald Finzi’s ‘Let Us Garlands Bring’ explored a tremendous timbral and emotional range of rare intensity, while Robert Challinor’s piano accompaniment for choir and soloist was both sensitive and subtle throughout. Baritone and accompanist, alike, achieved a spare but darkly searing intensity of expression in Sibelius’ setting of ‘Come Away’, from Twelfth Night, and this made a fascinating contrast with Finzi’s setting of the same words.

The same contrast in response was evident in the largest-scale piece of the evening, Shearing’s toe-tapping ‘Songs and Sonnets’. Grantham Choral Society really deserves to be congratulated for bringing this modern jazz gem to light and for coping brilliantly with extensive syncopation and cross-rhythms as well as the very dense but utterly idiomatic ‘Shearing-sound’ in close harmony: it sounds easy but, in reality, is anything but. This was a very good choice to end the evening for, although ‘Songs and Sonnets’ has its darker moments, at the ‘sweet-ring time’ it was obvious that the choir were enjoying themselves. The audience certainly did, as did the accompanist in the very stylish flourish in the closing bars. Even the accompanist deserves his moment of glory.

Though the programme design was undoubtedly unconventional - and successfully brought off, it must be said - it will be interesting to compare the result with their next concert.

• If anybody is interested in joining Grantham Choral Society they should contact Fiona on 07973 883787 or email granthamchoralsociety@outlook.com

Review by James Bone