{"id":215,"date":"2016-09-28T19:05:07","date_gmt":"2016-09-28T19:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/?page_id=215"},"modified":"2016-09-28T19:05:07","modified_gmt":"2016-09-28T19:05:07","slug":"progrev108","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/?page_id=215","title":{"rendered":"progrev108"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_one_full-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c\">\n.flex_column.av-av_one_full-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c{\nborder-radius:0px 0px 0px 0px;\npadding:0px 0px 0px 0px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-av_one_full-6126cab7d8fab8d08143dd2dacdf673c av_one_full  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_textblock  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div av-zero-column-padding  '     ><style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-av_heading-fc8f9fddc560cfaa5592feab76c01264\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-fc8f9fddc560cfaa5592feab76c01264{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-av_heading-fc8f9fddc560cfaa5592feab76c01264 .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-av_heading-fc8f9fddc560cfaa5592feab76c01264 .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-av_heading-fc8f9fddc560cfaa5592feab76c01264 av-special-heading-h3 blockquote classic-quote  avia-builder-el-1  avia-builder-el-no-sibling '><h3 class='av-special-heading-tag '  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Programmes <span class='special_amp'>&amp;<\/span> Reviews &#8211; 108th Season (2011-2012)<\/h3><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-0366cc7376be6c9e82a3e9cc8987b64f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h1><\/h1>\n<p><em>The choir had no music director for this season, and guest conductors were invited to direct performances.<\/em><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"19may12\"><\/a>Massed choirs gather for the big one &#8211; Verdi&#8217;s <em>Requiem<\/em><\/h2>\n<div class=\"comment3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2012\/Verdi_Requiem_2012.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"margin-right: 30px;\" title=\"Click to view programme\" src=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2012\/Verdi_Requiem_2012.gif\" alt=\"Click to view programme\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" align=\"left\" \/><\/a><\/div>\n<h3>RTWCS chorus with members from the Mayfield Festival Choir and Cranbrook and District Choral Society.<\/h3>\n<h4>19th May 2012 in the Assembly Hall<\/h4>\n<p>with RTWCS Orchestra, leader Jane Gomm<br \/>\nFiona Howell &#8211; <em>Soprano<\/em>, Anna Harvey \u2013 <em>Mezzo-Soprano<br \/>\n<\/em>Philip Modino \u2013 <em>Tenor<\/em>, Michael Bundy \u2013 <em>Baritone<\/em><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Conducted by Graham Caldbeck<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><em>In memory of Malcolm Beresford<\/em><\/p>\n<p>On Saturday, 19 May, Graham Caldbeck gave his final performance concert in Sussex and Kent before relocating to Jersey (for the time being).\u00a0 He has been Musical Director and Conductor of the Mayfield Festival Choir for the past eight years and has left a legacy of quality music in the region.\u00a0 For tonight, he brought his vision of the controlled drama and contrast of the Requiem to make the performance a spectacular success, acknowledged by the large and enthusiastic audience.<\/p>\n<p>Verdi\u2019s Requiem is a large work and large forces were assembled for it: not just the Royal Tunbridge Wells Choral Society, but also the Mayfield Festival Choir and the Cranbrook Choral Society \u2013 well over 120 singers in all, with a massive orchestra, including four off-stage trumpets for the <em>Tuba Mirum<\/em> and, of course, the huge \u2018Verdi Drum\u2019 to give the deepest notes.\u00a0 The drama and passion of the <em>Dies Irae<\/em>conjures up the Day of Judgment with an intensity that only an opera composer could bring, but this is contrasted with the many gloriously tuneful quieter and more thoughtful pieces, many of which featured the four soloists, who brought lyrical beauty as well as power to their parts.<\/p>\n<p>In this work, the conductor\u2019s task is multifold \u2013 to hold together such a vast assembly and to make the work coherent.\u00a0 It must not be just a selection of bits;\u00a0 rather, it must follow its own logic, culminating in the <em>Libera Me<\/em>, which was written first and which sums up the whole piece.\u00a0 <span class=\"comment\">\u201c\u00a0The choir performed brilliantly.\u00a0 On several occasions, they were singing unaccompanied and, each time, when the orchestra came back in, the tuning was perfect.\u00a0\u201d<\/span>In the <em>Libera Me<\/em>, we have not only the drama of the <em>Dies Irae<\/em> and the <em>Requiem Aeternam<\/em>, but also the heartfelt plea of <em>Libera Me<\/em> itself, leading to the comparative peace of the ending.\u00a0 On both counts, Mr Caldbeck succeeded splendidly.\u00a0The sound was balanced (the size of the massed choir making up for the positioning of them at the back of the stage, where the curtains dampened the sound) and he brought out the contrast between the quieter passages and the loud and the progress of the work to its final calm.<\/p>\n<p>The choir performed brilliantly.\u00a0 On several occasions, they were singing unaccompanied and, each time, when the orchestra came back in, the tuning was perfect.\u00a0 My only criticism would be that the <em>Sanctus<\/em>, which provides the dance-like foil to all of the serious funeral music, was taken a little more solemnly than I am used to.<\/p>\n<p>A special word must be said for the soloists, who have a large part of the drama.\u00a0 They were excellent, providing a real feel for the music.\u00a0 Although it is invidious to single out one from such a fine group, I must mention the mezzo-soprano, Anna Harvey, who gave the most sensitive performance of the evening,, particularly in the <em>Liber Scriptus<\/em>, the <em>Quid sum Miser<\/em> and, above all, in the <em>Lux Aeterna<\/em>.\u00a0 However, the others \u2013 Fiona Howells (soprano), Philip Modino (tenor) and Michael Bundy (Baritone) also gave sterling performances.<\/p>\n<p>The orchestral writing is at times fiendishly difficult, but the orchestra rose to the occasion magnificently.<\/p>\n<p>All in all, it was a splendid evening and a wonderful send-off for Graham Caldbeck.<\/p>\n<p class=\"copy\" style=\"text-align: right;\"><em>\u00a9 Quentin Rappoport<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-0366cc7376be6c9e82a3e9cc8987b64f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><a id=\"11mar12\" name=\"11mar12\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2><a id=\"11mar12\"><\/a>Carmina Burana<\/h2>\n<h3><a href=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2012\/CarminaBurana2012.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"margin-right: 30px;\" title=\"Click to view programme\" src=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2012\/CarminaBurana.gif\" alt=\"Click to view programme\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" align=\"left\" \/><\/a>Including Carnival of the Animals<\/h3>\n<h4>11th March 2012 in the Assembly Hall<\/h4>\n<p>Alan Fairs \u2013 <em>Baritone<\/em>, Nicola-Jane Kemp \u2013 <em>Soprano<\/em>, Richard Reaville \u2013 <em>Tenor<\/em><\/p>\n<h4>Accompanied by Anthony Zerpa-Falcon and<strong> Jong-Gyung Park <\/strong>on two <strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.hurstwoodfarmpianos.co.uk\/news.php?news_id=19\" target=\"new\">Steingraeber Phoenix<\/a><\/strong> Pianos, plus percussion.<\/h4>\n<h3>Conducted by Adrian Pitts<\/h3>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<p>No review available &#8211; Click image to view programme<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-0366cc7376be6c9e82a3e9cc8987b64f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 id=\"11dec11\"><a id=\"11dec11\"><\/a>Christmas Concert<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2011\/Xmas2011.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"margin-right: 30px;\" title=\"Click to view programme\" src=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2011\/Xmas2011.gif\" alt=\"Click to view programme\" width=\"202\" height=\"202\" align=\"left\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>11th December 2011 in St Mary&#8217;s Parish Church, Goudhurst<\/h4>\n<h3>Conducted by Roland Millar<\/h3>\n<p>with<br \/>\nDebbie Millar (<em>soprano<\/em>) &amp; Ian Shaw (<em>organ &amp; piano<\/em>)<br \/>\nThe Wadhurst Brass Band<\/p>\n<p>Click image to view programme<\/p>\n<p><strong>Roland Millar commented<\/strong>: <em>&#8220;I was certainly very happy with the concert and felt that everyone did themselves justice, working hard to produce a series of performances which were alert, communicative and exciting&#8221;.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-av_textblock-0366cc7376be6c9e82a3e9cc8987b64f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h2 id=\"12nov11\"><a id=\"12nov11\"><\/a>Mendelssohn&#8217;s <em>Elijah<\/em><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2011\/Elijah2011.pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" style=\"margin-right: 30px;\" title=\"Click to view programme\" src=\"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/progs\/2011\/Elijah2011.gif\" alt=\"Click to view programme\" width=\"206\" height=\"200\" align=\"left\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>Saturday, 12th November 2011 in the Assembly Hall<\/h4>\n<p>RTW Choral Society and Orchestra &#8211; leader Jane Gomm<br \/>\nwith<br \/>\nJonathan Gunthorpe \u2013 <em>baritone<\/em> (Elijah)<br \/>\nMichael Bracegirdle \u2013 <em>tenor<\/em><br \/>\nJuliette Pochin \u2013 <em>mezzo soprano<\/em><br \/>\nSally Harrison \u2013 <em>soprano<\/em><br \/>\nBen Underhill &#8211; <em>boy treble<\/em><\/p>\n<h3>Conducted by Malcolm Riley &#8211; a guest conductor engaged for the occasion.<\/h3>\n<p>They were accompanied by the<\/p>\n<p>The society was joined by the Choir of the Tunbridge Wells Grammer School for Girls (TWGGS) who delighted us with an appropriately angelic chorus.<\/p>\n<p>Unfortunately a reviewer was not available for this event.<\/p>\n<p>Click on poster image to view full programme (in pdf format &#8211; opens in new window).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-215","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=215"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":216,"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/215\/revisions\/216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tempdomain4.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}