Talented choristers entertain in Crieff
First outing in two years
“A huge success” was the verdict on Crieff Choral Group’s latest concert under new conductor Ulrike Wutscher.
An audience of nearly 60 people took their seats in Strathearn Arts on Saturday night to hear members singing for the first time in public for two years.
Audience and choir alike were captivated by Ulrike, a professional mezzo soprano herself.
She had created a delightful and interesting programme of music which mixed Scottish and English traditional songs and German lieder on a theme of folk songs.
It was a “refreshing change” of music
and “both the audience and choir were smiling and so enjoying themselves” were two comments overheard.
Ulrike introduced each group of songs, explaining to the audience their theme and relevance, while extensive notes in the programme explained the links between the songs and their composers from Europe and the British Isles.
The audience members were treated to captivating solos by the tenor David Douglas who sang arrangements of songs by Scots poets Robert Fergusson and Robert Burns, and others collected from the Highlands and Islands by Marjory Kennedy Fraser and AE Moffat.
The choir and soloist were sensitively and expertly accompanied by Jamie Turnbull on the piano, who had come back from his studies at Edinburgh University for the evening.
However, the choir sang some pieces unaccompanied so their voices and the harmonies could really be heard well.
The repertoire ranged from Brahms, Fanny Mendelssohn and her more famous brother Felix, to Elgar, Britten and Vaughan Williams.
Modern composers also featured such as Toby Hunt and Rory Boyle.
The first performance of The Gean Trees was given – created by Nicola Small and
Syd House and arranged for the choir by Helen MacKinnon – and all three musicians were in the audience to hear their work.
The choir’s singing was full of dynamics and you could really feel their enjoyment of the variety of the pieces in the sensitivity of their singing.
Soloist David Douglas complimented Crieff Choral by saying: “I think you are one of the few choirs who has held a public concert [since the start of the pandemic].”
That must be a tribute to all the unseen work that has gone on behind the scenes.
It was a truly lovely evening listening to a varied programme with lots of interest.
I think you [Crieff Choral Group] are one of the few choirs who has held a public concert [since the start of the pandemic] David Douglas