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Magnificat Review: Birmingham Festival Choral Society, Malvern Priory

From the archive, first published Friday 7th Jul 2006.

BFCS is a choir of about 100 voices, among them an enviable contingent of gentlemen, and the singers were on splendid form for their concert.

A solo voice led the choir in a Latin Plainchant of Magnificat anima mea Domini, followed by two motets by Elgar, Ave Maria and Ave Maris Stella. The latter was particularly expressive, with some exquisite quiet singing and fine intonation.

Soprano soloist Lucy Bowen soared above the choir and the organ's flute-like accompaniment of arpeggios in Stanford's Magnificat in G. The choir's final Amen was glorious as it crescendoed to a climax.

Organist Alan Horsey gave a superb solo performance of Roses for the Queen of Heaven, a suite of three pieces representing rose windows of French cathedrals, by contemporary composer Philip Wilby.

Exciting and innovative ideas implied light refracted through coloured glass: a bass pedal with shimmering sound emanating, a jagged angular bass tune offset with ripples, dazzling fortissimo radiance and a closing glistening chord fading away.

Conductor Patrick Larley's A Girl for the Blue was inspirational and beautiful. The soprano soloist floated, singing Magnificat, anima mea Domini as the unaccompanied choir converged in close-clustered harmonies. The effect was stunning, the choir magnificent in its delivery of Michael Ffinch's poem Annunciation.

Settings of The Magnificat by Herbert Howells and John Rutter completed the programme, both performed well.

JILL HOPKINS

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