Reviews

ABERDEEN ORPHEUS CHOIR

SUMMER CONCERT

Mannofield Parish Church, Aberdeen

Saturday 31st May 2025

ABERDEEN ORPHEUS CHOIR: Conductor Jane Murray

Blair Cargill Piano Accompanist

Laura Ritchie Oboe. Guest Soloist

REVIEW:

As is usually the case, Mannofield Church was packed full for the annual Summer Concert by Aberdeen Orpheus Choir, conducted by the delightful Jane Murray. Her choice of programme ranging from slightly unusual classical pieces, like the opening movements of the Mass in B flat Op 77 by Johan Nepomuk Hummel which opened the concert, to American Church Music like Fly Away Home by Pepper Choplin or Lift Every Voice and Sing by J. Rosamond Johnson (Both of these composers are men) to popular music like I Know Him So Well from the musical Chess, composed by Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA with words by Tim Rice. A Choral Medley from My Fair Lady concluded the first half of the concert. In the second half there was an arrangement for choir of The Merry Widow Waltz and finally, arrangements of two songs with words by Robert Burns and a very special arrangement of Caledonia by Dougie MacLean.                               During the interval, one of the ladies of the choir told me how much she enjoyed singing this music, both learning pieces that were new to her, and which she grew to love, or simply luxuriating in music she already knew well. That sense of the choir’s enjoyment of the music they were singing came through radiantly to all of us in the audience, and yes, we enjoyed all of it too! That is what makes the Aberdeen Orpheus Choir so special and so different from the other local choirs.

Rich well blended singing from the choir opened the Kyrie from the Mass in B flat Op 77 by Johan Nepomuk Hummel. It boasted attractive free flowing melodic content and I was impressed by the strength of the male voices. Pianist Blair Cargill opened the Gloria strongly. The choir sound swelled magnificently and both the tenors and basses stood out splendidly.

Fly Away Home by Pepper Choplin opened with tenors, basses and altos. The sopranos joined later. A sense of American revivalism coloured the music and made it sound joyful. Lift Every Voice and Sing by J. Rosamond Johnson received fulsome singing from the choir covering both rhythm and melody with enthusiasm. Later on the sopranos took the lead and at the end there was a stunning key change.

In every one of her concerts, Jane Murray finds a young soloist whom she chooses to be a special Guest Soloist. This time it was a young oboist Laura Ritchie. Jane Murray said that Laura was the best yet. I would have to agree with that. For her first piece, she had chosen the Third Movement of the Sonatina in A major by César Franck. I have to mention the rich piano chords played by Blair Cargill to open the movement. Then the oboe really took flight. Laura and Blair delivered splendid musical exchanges. Laura used the full range of her instrument in this movement. Her playing was so strong and smooth. I was really impressed.

The choir were back with an arrangement by Nicholas Hare of I Know Him So Well. The sopranos led with the delicious tune supported by oohs and aahs from the rest of the choir. The altos did get the chance to take over the melody which they did with delightful warmth.

The next piece was an amazing setting of a folk tune I Love My Love by Gustav Holst. There was rich choral singing by the full choir but the tenors and basses stood out once again. Holst takes the folk tune and enriches it with a very clever and meaningful arrangement and the Orpheus Choir went all the way with him in their deeply felt performance.

Time After Time by Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn is a romantic jazz standard originally performed in an arrangement by Nelson Riddle. On Saturday, the choir used a version by Mac Huff. The choir gave a splendidly rounded performance.

There followed the second oboe solo by Laura Ritchie. This was Italian Dance by Madelaine Dring. Both piano and oboe rejoiced in the dance rhythms of this music which were pointed and sunny – another great performance!

In the Choral Medley from My Fair Lady the choir told us that they could have danced all night. I liked the way they took on the Cockney accent of Wouldn’t it be luverly and soloist Steve Stuart came through with I’ve grown accustomed to her face. The choir wanted us to get them to the church on time. They obviously enjoyed singing this arrangement by Andy Beck and we enjoyed listening to them. We were not allowed to join in the singing, but I did just that inside my own head, but silently.

The piano had just little ting tings at the beginning of Where the Light Begins by Susan LaBarr. It explores themes of peace and hope apparently written originally by Jan Richardson (female poet) as a blessing for Christmas. It uses the word ‘perhaps’ a great deal.

Ad Astra (To the Stars) by Jacob Narverud had a powerful piano introduction before the female voices entered followed later by the men. Loud and soft singing were used thoughtfully in this performance.

The Agnus Dei from the Requiem by the American composer Jay Althouse had a simple almost single chiming piano note over which the choir sang the Agnus Dei.

Eliza Gilkyson is a folksinger and composer and daughter of Terry Gilkyson who wrote The Bare (or Bear) Necessities, The Cry of the Wild Goose and Memories are Made of This. Eliza’s song Requiem had gentle well-balanced singing from the choir. This was impressive because it is not easy to maintain balance in quiet singing. This was a very moving performance.

For her next solo piece for oboe, Laura Ritchie had chosen Gabriel’s Oboe from the film The Mission by Ennio Morricone. Its delicious melody was played with great strength and smoothness by Laura Ritchie. The response of the audience proved that Jane Murray was right in saying that Laura was the best ever guest soloist.

The Merry Widow Waltz by Franz Lehár was sung with a real sense of waltz swing by the choir. It was a real highlight of the whole performance!

The two Robert Burns songs were in splendid choral arrangements by two of the best proponents of  such musical craftsmanship. Afton Water was arranged by John Rutter and There Was a Lad by Brian Bonsor. The first was beautifully smooth, the second with lively piano accompaniment and vigorous singing, especially by the men of the choir, was absolutely exhilarating! What could possibly beat that? Well, it was the arrangement of Caledonia by Douglas Menzies MacLean, to give him his posh name, with a wind part by Jenny Jones played by Laura Ritchie on oboe. It went down particularly well with Saturday’s audience. I have two special connections to this song. It is the regular party song sung by my grand niece Cara. She sings it beautifully. In addition, Jane told us that it was composed very quickly on a beach in Brittany by Dougie MacLean. I spent a year in Rennes as Lecteur d’Anglais at the university there 1965 -66. Margot Buchan from the altos in the choir was in Rennes with me at the same time!

ALAN COOPER