Spa Pavilion, Strathpeffer, 6 May 2006

Haydn by Thomas Hardy, 1792.

TWO CHORAL MASSES, one by Hummel and the other by Haydn, brought out the very best in Dingwall and District Choral Society’s well balanced and rich tonal qualities at the Spa Pavilion.

The Hummel especially, gave the choir’s conductor Norman Bolton, every opportunity to produce top quality choral singing from his enthusiastic forces. With no solo parts in the work, the choir had to find all the stamina they could muster to produce a big tone as one full chorus followed another.

This was a considerable achievement, all sections of the choir apparently knowing their parts really well following tough, but enjoyable, rehearsals during the winter months.

After that, the choir were able to sit back and enjoy solos and duets from their guests Alexa Charlotte Mason (soprano), Susan Boyd (mezzo-soprano), Matthew Marriot (tenor) and Gordon Jack (baritone), all performing for the first time at the choir’s concerts.

All four voices were most enjoyable and of fine quality, and they performed a delightful series of tuneful and mostly well-known works by Purcell, Handel, Franck, Gluck, Mendelssohn, Mozart and Offenbach.

I have mentioned this several times in reviews and do so again. Spoken introductions by one or two of the soloists, at floor level, were far from clear to those sitting near the back of the hall. If there is a solution to this recurring problem, I hope it will be found soon.

In musical contrast to the Hummel, which was enjoyable but not always hugely inspiring in its musical content, the superb Mass by Haydn, known as the Paukenmesse (Mass in Time of War), was given a first class performance.

This work is enormously popular with choral societies for its character and treatment of the words of the Latin Mass. Here, the choir sounded full of confidence, and their attack and technique in all the twists and turns of Haydn’s dazzling choral parts, were superbly handled.

In this work, the four soloists added their expertise, and Haydn’s brilliant concept and the gentle touches of humour, solo and choral, even in this work, were brought out well, giving a lot of pleasure to the audience.

The orchestra, the Dingwall Choral Sinfonia, accompanied very well, but they still have to learn the subtle art of finesse and light playing when required. At full stretch for the loud sections they were fine, but in the contrasting softer sections, they were altogether too weighty. It was unfortunate that their work for the evening was not fully recognised by a failure to ask them to stand for the applause at the end.

© Arthur Brocklebank, 2006