HANDEL TRIUMPHANT IN MOLD ON HIS 317th BIRTHDAY
Deep snow in Buxton, and over the Pennines. Heavy, driving winds and rain everywhere. Weather-wise, Saturday 23 February started out in anything but calm, auspicious fashion: as I ventured forth along the M56, I was more than a touch apprehensive about the weather which might greet us in Mold, or the effect of inclement weather on the eventual attendance at our workshop. As I entered the capacious Bethesda Chapel, though, any such thoughts immediately vanished, and remained absent: already, some time before the official gathering time, many of the eventual 80-plus singers had arrived, and were enjoying hot drinks, and each other’s company, ahead of what proved to be one of the happiest and finest of all NWEMF’s workshops.
This is, I believe, NWEMF’s first venture across the border from Cheshire into North Wales, and was the splendid outcome of David Allen’s vision and entrepreneurial enterprise: a laudable aim to attract the singers of North Wales and surrounding areas, those previously unaware of NWEMF’s existence, to our activities, and to a day of singing fine music in concert with us in a venue easily accessible to all; a venue congenially appointed, both for the purpose of singing, and for the ancillary necessities of adequate loos and somewhere to enjoy drinks and, for many, a packed lunch.
The ‘fine music’ was Handel’s Coronation Anthems of
1727,
which resounded all day in the sympathetic and
supportive acoustic of Bethesda Chapel in honour of Handel’s
217th birthday. An attendance in excess of eighty people, despite a
few casualties of the weather, was a magnificent achievement: many
congratulations to David, and to all others who helped disseminate publicity
material to non-members of NWEMF, to such great effect. Eighty singers could so
easily have comprised thirty-two sopranos, thirty-three altos, two tenors and
three basses: what the actual break-down of numbers was, per part, I don’t
know, I didn’t count, but we proved a well-balanced and resilient lot! What
a happy and positive atmosphere, what wonderful music – and what a
magnificent and inspiring conductor for the day! This was Nigel Perrin,
doubtless well-known to many as the ‘top
voice’ in the King’s Singers for so many years, and now an extremely
busy, successful and popular freelance choral director, notably of the Bath
Camerata.
After some congenial stretches and vocal warm-ups, we all launched joyously in Zadok the Priest – ‘the one we know’ – and worked on this, and on Let thy hand be strengthened for the remainder of the morning, with not a moment wasted. This, and the afternoon session when, after some more warm-ups, we worked on The King shall rejoice and My heart is inditing, saw a systematic and thorough work-out on the various sections of each piece, whereby our initial (and commendable) sight-reading efforts were converted into far more assured and vocally proficient renditions. Both for us as singers, and for those of us who dare to wave our arms in front of singers, there was a colossal amount of good advice and learning material, vocal tips a-plenty, all delivered by Nigel with wit, great good humour, and terrific musicianship. And mention must be made of our excellent accompanist, Timothy Stewart, who proved an ideal piano repetiteur during the rehearsals, and who coaxed a formidable, decidedly un-baroque organ into something stylish during the final hour of the afternoon when, out of our comfortable ground-level pews in the body of the chapel, we ascended into the galleries for an informal performance. The change of environment provided a slight aural ‘jolt’ for some, finding themselves more geographically and acoustically remote from the conductor, but, stout-hearted folk that we were under Nigel’s benign but firm direction, we adjusted – and came up close to his end of the building for the final, resounding, roof-raising rendition of Zadok the Priest. Who said that the choral tradition is in decline? Nonsense, to judge from our efforts on this happy day.
All thanks, and congratulations, to all who took part, to Tim for his excellent playing, and to Nigel Perrin for being one of the most inspiring and heartening conductors we could have wished for. The chapel was blessedly warm (and, better, not to excess) as protection from the less congenial elements outside, chapel caterers refreshed us with tea and coffee beforehand, Kate and David Allen with equal skill during the afternoon. The organisation was excellent in all respects – thanks again, David! – and we all had a great time. Several singers, including our non-member friends, are now left wondering when the next such event will take place. Watch this space!
Roger Wilkes