St Mary’s, Portsea, 29 March
Continuing David Gostick’s innovative programming, Portsmouth Choral Union presented Sir John Rutter’s Feel the Spirit (2001) and Will Todd’s Passion Music (2018) at St. Mary’s Church, Portsea.
The two works have spirituals, which inspired the gospel music genre, as their common influence.
The choir sang the seven spiritual settings with a fine sense of style, making the most of Rutter’s lovely harmonies, especially in ‘Deep River’. The audience particularly enjoyed ‘Ev’ry Time I Feel The Spirit’, with its foot-tapping rhythms and ‘When the Saints’, which brought the piece to an exciting ending.
The soloist, Hannah Pedley, showed her mellow tone in ‘Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child’.
The piano accompanist, Sue Gaham Smith, provided sensitive support, with a fine sense of style.
‘Passion Music’, with its fusion of jazz and choral music was a challenge, which, with the help of a workshop by the composer, the choir met with enthusiasm. It emphasised the listener’s involvement in the Passion Story.
After ‘Greater Love’, ‘We Believe’ began with the hymn words, ‘There is a Green Hill’, begun by the soloist and building to a powerful gospel-style ending.
‘A New Commandment’ that you love one another emphasised the importance of the words through a dynamic setting, whilst ‘Love Unknown’ showed the soloist’s mezzo tone and range, together with a lovely melody taken up by the choir.
With the tricky acoustics and often dense accompaniment from the talented Jazz Septet, it would have been helpful, as on previous occasions, to have had the words printed in the programme.
Some unaccompanied singing in Latin and distraught harmonies emphasised Mary’s pain at the foot of the cross in ‘Stabat Mater’.
‘The Seven Last Words’ incudes a dramatic and rhythmic rendition of ‘When the Sky Turned Red’, ending with the solo tam-tam and stillness.
After a moving rendition of ‘My Love has Died for Me’, a setting of ‘Do not stand at my grave and weep’ by Mary Frye gave a sense of hope.
The final section, ‘Were You There?’, led by the soloist, included ‘He died to save us’ and provided an exciting conclusion.
PCU are to be congratulated in presenting a challenging evening with such panache and providing the audience with an enjoyable and, at the same time, thought-provoking programme.
Geoff Porter
