Sing to the Moon: a Chilly Evening at Christ Church
| Type of post: | Whats New |
| Sub-type: | Concert |
| Posted By: | Andrew Harte |
| Status: | Current |
| Date Posted: | Sun, 9 Feb 2025 |
Having recently joined the choir, but too late to take part in the concert, I took my wife along to the chilly but beautiful Christ Church in Reading, to hear my first Phoenix concert.
We were not disappointed. From the opening notes of O Frondens Virga that simply begged the soul to find rest, to the frenetic Battle of Jericho, the programme was engaging and varied. It took us on a journey of almost a thousand years.
In the first half, my highlight was Bruckner’s touching and beautifully crafted Ave Maria. But it was also good to hear some of the music I had rehearsed in previous weeks. Ben Parry’s My Spirit Sang All Day had whizzed past my sight-reading eyes the previous Monday, but hearing it performed brought more clarity and appreciation of the phrasing of the lyrics.
Jesus’ comforting words, Peace I Leave With You, made for a moving start to the second half. The song which lent its name to the concert, Sing to the Moon, was beautiful and poignant, and the soprano solo soared and pierced the soul, matching the hope of the song that things really will get better.
Like several other songs, the encore, An Irish Blessing, was sung in the round, enveloping the audience in words and music of benediction.
Having spent several weeks rehearsing from the back row of the choir, it was lovely to see everyone’s faces! The quality of the singing was impressive, as was the fact the choir sang the 80-minute programme from memory. The blend was superb and diction impressive. I have a lot more rehearsing to do!
We were not disappointed. From the opening notes of O Frondens Virga that simply begged the soul to find rest, to the frenetic Battle of Jericho, the programme was engaging and varied. It took us on a journey of almost a thousand years.
In the first half, my highlight was Bruckner’s touching and beautifully crafted Ave Maria. But it was also good to hear some of the music I had rehearsed in previous weeks. Ben Parry’s My Spirit Sang All Day had whizzed past my sight-reading eyes the previous Monday, but hearing it performed brought more clarity and appreciation of the phrasing of the lyrics.
Jesus’ comforting words, Peace I Leave With You, made for a moving start to the second half. The song which lent its name to the concert, Sing to the Moon, was beautiful and poignant, and the soprano solo soared and pierced the soul, matching the hope of the song that things really will get better.
Like several other songs, the encore, An Irish Blessing, was sung in the round, enveloping the audience in words and music of benediction.
Having spent several weeks rehearsing from the back row of the choir, it was lovely to see everyone’s faces! The quality of the singing was impressive, as was the fact the choir sang the 80-minute programme from memory. The blend was superb and diction impressive. I have a lot more rehearsing to do!
