Contrast in performances by two choirs
GRIEF and joy sums up the two sides to the performance of the City Choir Dunedin and its guest choir Main Street Singers from San Francisco, on Saturday evening at Knox Church.
City Choir Dunedin was overshadowed in energy, technical precision and repertoire by the topclass, youthful and almost professional Main Street Singers. They are so versed in their works that except for the more complicated part songs they don’t need the music for their unaccompanied presentation.
Their conductor Mark Shaull used only minimal direction to gain maximum effect. The old and contemporary works they made particularly delightful included Josef Swider’s intense and rhythmic Cantus Gloriosus, Flor Peeters’ tight Jubilate Deo, Omnis Terra, David Contes, Ave Maria, and John Bennet’s Weep, O Mine Eyes.
Their presentation of 20th century gospel songs, Larry Fleming’s arrangement of Ride on, King Jesus!, and possibly the latest arrangement of the traditional song I Got a Key by Robert Shaw, brought new rhythmic life to the concert.
All three of their soloists have fine young voices and reveal the strength of the choir.
Such expertise exposed the weaknesses in the works presented by the City Choir Dunedin.
David Burchell’s direction vigorously encourages the best but the choir was unusually exposed against the minimal accompaniment provided by the sadly uncredited yet proficient organist.
Their weak openings and undefined cadence closings and at times ragged lines in Verdi’s challenging Stabat Mater Dolorosa sadly belied their general commitment.
Baritone Malcolm Leitch, Benhjamin Madden and Claire Barton, though of fine voice, made heavy weather of Bach’s lilting but lengthy and twisting Cantata 66 Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen.
However, the audience was rewarded with the choir’s expected performance strengths in Finzi’s intriguingly rhythmic and tonally stretched Lo, the Full, Final Sacrifice.