Reviews

Jane Murray, conductor and musical director of the Aberdeen Orpheus Choir has, over the years, developed a special style of programming that is particularly popular with audiences. She chooses music from around the world, much of which is new to audiences, though always delightful for melody, rhythm and harmonies, that last of which, the singers of the Orpheus Choir are able to make their own in the most resplendent ways. Their harmonies really shine. In addition, at every concert, Jane has discovered a new young musician whose performances punctuate and enliven the programme. At this year’s Christmas Concert, Jane’s musical discovery was a young violinist, Tyler Martin, a past pupil of Portlethan Academy who has won a place to continue his studies at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. Regular choir members are also chosen to provide instrumental accompaniments to several of the pieces in the programme. Proof of the popularity of Jane Murray’s concert creations was the size of the audience in Mannofield Church. It was absolutely packed on Saturday.

The Choir, accompanied by the masterly pianist Blair Cargill plunged us straight into the joyful spirit of Christmas with their first piece, Christmas in the Great Hall A Choral Fantasy on Traditional Carols by the American composer and arranger Mark Hayes. Some of the carols, probably American, were new to me, but very attractive. I easily picked up on I saw three ships and On Christmas Night all Christians sing. The arrangements by Mark Hayes were excellent. We heard the richest choral harmonies and leaps from one section of the choir to another. Being American arrangements I was reminded of the Ken Darby choir who did most of the Hollywood choral singing in films of the sixties. We were now fully in the mood to join in the singing of the next carol, Joy to the World with sopranos Fiona Ferguson and Kerry Fleming providing the decants in the final verse.

It was time for Jane Murray to introduce her young guest performer, violinist Tyler Martin. For his first piece he had chosen the 3rd Movement of Violin Sonata No. 2 in A major by Johannes Brahms. Tyler gave us a delicately expressive performance with lovely clear toned violin sound. I should also mention Blair Cargill’s piano here. It was rich and delicious.

Blair Cargill’s piano also stood out with rippling tones in the next piece, Diamond Bright by Lin Marsh. The words told the Christmas story in the most colourful way:

Far away in the East on that cold winter evening:

Mighty Kings were waiting, watching from afar,

Setting out on their journey who would ever believe it?

We see that lowly stable,

And know that we are touched by that same bright star.

The choir delivered the words cleanly wrapped in a lovely melody. They told the Christmas story so nicely with this piece.

The choir followed this gentle piece with a joyful traditional carol from Botswana entitled Tsaba, tsaba! It had a rollicking rhythm and a key change to which the sopranos responded with soaring singing. ‘Come join us’ said the words, so we did just that with O little town of Bethlehem with Blair Cargill providing an organ accompaniment on keyboard.

Lullaby by the young American composer Daniel Elder opened with smooth female voices leading into rich harmonies from the full choir. There was a crescendo leading into quiet singing near the end. Jane Murray controlled these changes so very well.

Declare His Honour from Handel’s Chandos Anthem IV featured instrumental accompaniments from Tyler Martin on violin, Jane McAllister on flute and Donna Kincaid on recorder.

It was time to hear from Tyler on his own. As well as with classical pieces he is keen on Scottish traditional fiddle music so he gave us Back to the Hills by the famous Scott Skinner. As before, his playing had delicacy and clear tone. The piece began slowly but then heated up with fancy ornamental playing.

‘Tis Winter Now by another American Compose Brad Nix had a gentle tinkling piano accompaniment and words by Samuel Longfellow sung clearly by the choir. We were to join in with these same words but to the English Folk Tune O Waly Waly often sung to the words The water is wide, I can’t cross o’er. This was to be the fourth piece in the second half of the concert.

To close the first half the choir sang the American Folk Hymn Bound for the Promised Land with piano duet accompaniment by Blair Cargill and Andrew Fairhead and with Graeme Morrice on Bodhran. It began with the male voices accompanied only by the Bodhran then with full choir, the pianists joined in.

The second half opened with Tomorrow shall be my dancing day with Andrew Fairhead on tambourine and Graeme and his Bodhran. There were marvellous off centre rhythms and interesting jabbed chords on the piano.

In Winter Wind by Brandon Williams setting words by Shakespeare the piano part certainly captured the sounds of wind as did the choir. It was a splendidly atmospheric piece.

Tyler Martin was back in classical style playing the First movement of a Violin Concerto by Mozart. His playing was bright and energetic and splendidly clear.

After we had joined in that second version of ‘Tis Winter Now the choir performed Wir danken dir, Gott, Wir danken dir BWV 29 by J. S. Bach. The contrapuntal intertwining of parts was well done and with sturdy singing the basses and altos stood out.

For his last section Tyler Martin returned to traditional Scottish Music with The Gamekeeper’s Cottage and Harvey the Westie Reel an Irish tune about a dog? The first tune was slow and smooth but with the reel I started to hear feet tapping round about me and that surely is what this music is supposed to do.

More pictorial words and delicious harmonies came forth in Song for a Winter’s Night by Gordon Lightfoot the Canadian singer Songwriter (If You Could Read My Mind). Saturday’s performance gave us seductive singing and piano.

Andrew Fairhead and Graeme Morrice got to play the sleigh bells in a jolly performance of Jingle Bells before we all joined for the last time in God rest you merry, gentlemen.

Gentle tinkling piano and female voices opened Once upon a December from the cartoon film Anastasia. It is not a Disney film. It was made by Fox Studios.

This led into the final piece White Christmas with piano duets from Blair Cargill and Andrew Fairhead. A bit outmoded perhaps? Well no, not really, this performance by the Orpheus Choir breathed new life into it. Yes, we remember Bing Crosby but on Saturday the Aberdeen Orpheus Choir made it their own!

ALAN COOPER

Page updated

Report abuse