REVIEW by Theresa Finzi: Cirencester Choral Society's spring concert, May 7 2016

WHAT a treat it was to be able to attend Cirencester Choral Society's concert of music by Elgar and Chilcott in the Parish Church on May 7.

The concert started with Elgar’s Te Deum and the choir, thanks to the excellent direction from its conductor Carleton Etherington and accompanied by David Whitehead's superb organ playing, was able to set its stamp of high standards from the very opening chord.

The Te Deum was followed by a beautifully delivered performance of Ave Verum Corpus in which the lyricism and dynamic variety were displayed with every breath.

We were then privileged to share a beautiful performance of Suite for Organ, Op14, played by David Whitehead.

The first half of the concert ended with two more pieces by Elgar, O Salutaris Hostia and Benedictus, both of which continued with the high standards set in the other pieces and were sung with full command of the melodic line demanded by the music.

The Requiem by Bob Chilcott is a wonderful setting of the Mass.

From the dark and sombre opening it moved through a range of emotions to the warm and comforting Lux Aeterna at the conclusion of the piece.

The choir was joined by two soloists, soprano Hilary Cronin and tenor Ruairi Bowen both of whom are young professionals at the start of what promise to be highly successful careers.

They both sang with full command of the lyrical lines whilst being sensitively and sympathetically accompanied by the choir.

The choir maintained its benchmark high standards and also proved able to cope with a variety of musical styles when they sang the jazzy Sanctus with such obvious enjoyment.

We were all left wishing for far more at the end of the evening and can but look forward to the next concert.