Eynsham Choral Society: St Leonard's Church

2:55pm Wednesday 7th May 2008

It's been a topsy-turvy kind of a spring. Oxfordshire saw snow in April, and the BBC contributed by publishing the 2008 Proms programme a month early. So it somehow came as no surprise to find Eynsham Choral Society staging the Last Night of the Proms in spring, instead of September.

Union flag-waving had to wait, however - even though flags had kindly been provided by the management, ready for action. For first there was a meaty menu of English music to savour, beginning with Handel's Zadok the Priest. As the choir burst into action as one following the long orchestral build-up, there was an instant reminder that Eynsham Choral Society describes itself as "a bunch of people who love singing".

Next the main work, Elgar's The Music Makers. Its stirring, forward-marching passages ebb and flow into much quieter sections, characterised by the line "We are the dreamers of dreams". If those dreams sometimes seemed a little unfocused, the emphatic, louder music fared well, with conductor Alison Wilson providing a firm vision of the big sweeps of choral and orchestral colour required. The choir plainly relished the challenges of this big sing, and the orchestra was responsive, both here and throughout. The follow-up piece was a programming risk - Vaughan Williams's spare Five Mystical Songs are in such contrast to The Music Makers that they can leave you with a feeling that Elgar over-egged the pudding. Here Vaughan Williams acted as an excellent sorbet however, with soloist Henry Herford adding appropriate colour to the choral accompaniment.

After the interval, it was back to Elgar for a fluid, musically descriptive Sea Pictures from contralto Bridget Budge. Then out with the flags for traditional Last Night fare. Highlights were a chance to really hear the words as conductor Wilson led a bouncy account of Henry Wood's Fantasia on British Sea Songs, and Bridget Budge donning a suitably arresting, bright red costume for Rule Britannia.

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