‘MESSIAH’ BEYOND THE LOCKDOWN

Doug Constable

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As we know to our collective cost, during the recent Covid lockdowns choral singing was prohibited, and maintaining the life of choirs was difficult. For Cantorion Llandeilo Singers, not knowing exactly when they would be able to mount a performance of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ tested their rehearsal staying-power; but we who heard them in St Teilo’s Church on 19th November bear witness that they came through with flying colours. Performances of ‘Messiah’ vary in both character and quality, and we heard a memorably fresh presentation of this rich sequence of arias and recitatives. Fronted by a quartet of fine soloists, and accompanied by a ‘chamber’ orchestra of eleven players and William Reynolds’ sensitive organ continuo, the choir, trained and conducted for the first time by Colin New, fully satisfied the spiritual and aesthetic hunger of the audience in the almost full church.

Credit must go, first, to the conductor, who at all times clearly communicated his understanding of how the music should sound; under his direction, the diverse elements of the oratorio hung together as a coherent whole. It was gratifying that the soloists and conductor were sensitive to each other in minute detail; each and all contributed to a welcome sense of ensemble/team-work. Haegee Lee, an agile high soprano, was in her element in Rejoice greatly, and she delivered a particularly moving I know that my Redeemer liveth. Flora York Skinner, a mezzo-soprano who has several times sung with this choir, brightened spirits with her telling of glad tidings to Zion. (I wonder, though, if the dramatic impact of the sudden switch in mood at Behold, a virgin shall conceive was less than it might have been if, instead of the mezzo, the bass soloist had sung But who may abide). I was particularly moved by Flora’s and Hagee’s conveying of He shall feed his flock and Come unto me, all ye that labour. Tenor Robyn Lyn Evans, who has also sung several times with this choir and whose voice and delivery has wonderfully matured over the period, compelled attention from his very first entry Comfort ye, my people. For me, his rendition of the Passion recitatives from Thy rebuke hath broken his heart through to the spring-like resurrection aria But thou didst not leave his soul in hell was an undoubted highlight of an evening that had no lowlights. A newcomer to Llandeilo, specially sought-out bass Trevor Eliot Bowes, brought expressive gravitas to his pieces, but in my view his stand-out performance was The trumpet shall sound. Bowes and trumpet soloist Jonathan Mainwaring combined marvellously: while the high trumpet dominated, the bass solo, not attempting to ‘compete’, yet came through strongly with a joyful message of encouragement … we shall be raised.

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Special tribute must be paid to the choristers, whose disciplined response to their new conductor clearly showed. The togetherness was palpable, and any lapses in confidence were too few to mention. If one were to ask for more, it would be for more ‘body’ in the sopranos, and clearer verbal articulation. Collectively, a little more expressive colour would have been good in ‘lighter’ pieces such as His yoke is easy; with more time (or less lockdown!) to prepare, that slight deficiency would no doubt have been addressed. That said, the overall balance and quality of the sound was very pleasing; and particular mention must be made of the fine sound of men’s voices in Worthy is the Lamb and the Amen Chorus.

The next performance by Cantorion Llandeilo Singers is to be of John Stainer’s ‘Crucifixion’, a less demanding work than ‘Messiah’. But therein lies a challenge: not to compromise on the high musical standards necessarily achieved for this recent performance, whilst keeping a clear spiritual focus in the task ahead.