It may sound simple to sing but is often deceptively difficult. To these ears, the difficulties were met and conquered, conductor Alan Eost working wonders to achieve this sort of response from an amateur choir.

Forget word clarity – you can't have everything. The fact that the chorus got its collective thoraxes round the notes so convincingly, and at times so powerfully, was in itself remarkable.

The five spirituals were magnificently sung, four first-rate professional soloists variously adding their voices to them: soprano Sally Harrison (earlier singing a pitched, not crooned, Pie Jesu in Fauré's Requiem), a full-bodied, contralto-like mezzo soprano Catherine King, a soft-grained baritone Jonathan Gunthorpe and, intensely and emotionally involved as Tippett's 'child,' tenor James Edwards.

With the South Yorkshire Symphony contributing a virtually trouble-free account of the orchestral music, all in all, an outstanding performance, which left its mark.

"But you don't like modern music, Fred," said a chap to a clearly moved colleague at the end. The preceding Fauré was a winner, too, the big chorus successfully scaling down its sound.

MORE:
Listings Guide
Arts Guide
Film Guide
Theatre and Events
Music Guide
Front Room