The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dundee Choral Union’s 160th anniversary
Caird Hall, Dundee, March 18
Musically-speaking, 1858 was a notable year. Manchester’s Halle Orchestra was founded, Offenbach’s comic opera Orpheus in the Underworld was given its premier performance and Giacomo Puccini, one of the greatest opera composers, was born.
Also, and rather closer to home, it was the year Dundee Amateur Choral Union came into being.
However, it would be two years before their first performance but the groundwork done by 18 ladies and nine gentlemen after a meeting in a house in South Tay Street in January, 1858, paved the way for almost 160 years of choral performances in Dundee.
The Corn Exchange, Bank Street) was the first venue before the chorus moved to its current “home”, the Caird Hall.
In fact, the DCU gave the hall’s opening concert in November, 1921, with a performance of Elgar’s The Dream Of Gerontius. Since their first performance, the DCU – they dropped the “amateur” in their centenary year of 1958 – have performed all the classics from the choral repertoire, including 50 or so performances of Handel’s Messiah and the first-ever performance in Scotland, in 1869, of Mozart’s Requiem.
While 2018 is the 160th anniversary of the Choral Union, it is also a significant year for secretary Kay Simpson who celebrates 40 years’ membership. “I’ve had so much pleasure over the years singing with DCU,” she says, “and have had the honour of performing with many world-class conductors, soloists and orchestras.
“One of the highlights was in 1996 when we were invited to Orleans, France, to celebrate the twinning of the city with Dundee. Singing in Orleans Cathedral was a wonderful experience.
“Over the years we have not only sung well-known works but also some less well-familiar to audiences in this area. In fact, one of the works in Sunday’s concert is a Scottish premier, Jhesu Christ, Saint Mary’s Sone by George Oldroyd.”
The other works in Sunday’s programme are Arthur Sullivan’s “Boer War” Te Deum and another Te Deum, this one by Dvorak. Soloists will be Rachel Hynes (soprano), Christian Schneeberger (tenor) and baritone James Cleverton. Morley Whitehead will preside on the Caird Hall organ and the Orchestra of Scottish Opera will be conducted by Derek Clark.
Derek is the 16th conductor to hold the reins of the DCU since its inception. “We may not be able to muster the vast numbers of singers which characterised the choir in former days,” he says. “But there is still plenty of repertoire available to us, which can ensure the DCU continues to play as important a role in the musical life of Dundee as it has done for the last 160 years.”