THIS concert (December 19) at St Dionysius Church was an appropriate programme for a cold night.
There was warming punch and superlative entertainment from the Harborough Singers and their guest actors – husband and wife Charles Collingwood and Judy Bennett.
It opened with a wonderful soprano solo of Once in Royal David's City, followed by th
e Singers' interpretation of Sleepers Wake, A Voice is Calling. This carol, as well as Gavin Bryars' New Prince New Pomp and Christopher Tye's A Sound of Angels, highlighted an adventurous approach with more unusual Christmas pieces.
These were followed by a balanced In Dulcio Jubilo in which female and male voices sang separate verses which also applied to the first half's closing item In the Bleak Midwinter.
Other choir items by Holst and Hadley all demonstrated superb trained and disciplined singing.
Judy Bennett's readings included the acidity of U A Fanthorpe's observations through the eyes and mind of the donkey while Charles ~
Collingwood related Thomas Hardy's Wessex tale.
The choir excelled in the seven second-half items – the melody and tunefulness of My Dancing Day, The Sans Day Carol and the brilliant arrangement of the third verse of Silent Night were three worthy of note.
Without doubt this was again another evening of quality, top-class choral singing from this renowned choir.
