In Terra Pax 7.30pm Saturday 7 Dec 2024 Christ Church, Julian Road, Bath BA1 2RH
PLEASE NOTE: TONIGHT'S CONCERT WILL GO AHEAD DESPITE THE INCLEMENT WEATHER. SOME TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE DOOR
our winter concert features
Gerald Finzi’s Christmas cantata In Terra Pax
along with Poulenc’s exuberant (and downright fun) Gloria.
Also featured are:
Byrd - Sing Joyfully
Berlioz - L’Adieu des Bergers (from L’enfance du Christ)
Vivanco - Surge propera amica mea
Poulenc - Exultate Deo
Pearsall - In Dulci Jubilo
Miškinis - Lucis Creator Optime
Trad. Catalan (arr. Chavarría) - El cant dels ocells
Under the Direction of Vicente Chavarría, we are delighted to be joined once again by Peter King on the organ, plus soloists
Josephine Goddard (soprano) and Dominic Felts (baritone) at
beautiful Christ Church, Julian Road in central Bath.
About The Handful
" I found myself transfixed by the sheer beauty of their singing and the depth of their understanding"
One of Bath’s most respected chamber choirs, The Handful has been performing in and around Bath since its inception in 2002. The Handful embraces a wide repertoire of music, classical and contemporary, and enjoys an enviable reputation for high quality, vibrant performances.
Review
Rob Dishington - June 2024
Sounds of Heaven Abound at Prior Park
The Handful Chamber Choir / Peter King / Vicente Chavarria
Saturday 8th June 2024, The Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows, Prior Park College
The Handful gave their final concert of the season on 8th June: what a concert! Showcasing some slightly different fayre (for them), we heard everything from the oldest of known Western composers (Hildegard of Bingen of the 12th Century) to contemporary work of the last twenty years or so, and much more in between (including English choral giants Stanford and Bainton but also featuring American, Scandinavian, German and Italian works). It never felt like a ‘showcase’, however; thematically linked under the ‘Sounds of Heaven’ umbrella, every piece had something significant to contribute, whether musically, artistically, spiritually, or even cosmically (to borrow from the programme’s introduction).
To the singing: brilliant throughout. In a fairly marathon programme for the choir, every member was fully committed, navigating the various styles and vocal demands with consummate professionalism. Musical expression was never compromised even where composers offered very particular challenges. A number of soloists across the choir provided contrast, accurately and with meaning.
The group was keen to explore the different sonic possibilities of the venue – they did this with ease – travelling to new locations and in different groupings between almost every piece (and sometimes during!). While some positions worked better than others, one notable moment was the antiphonal Duo Seraphim by Francisco Guerrero featuring three ‘unequal choirs’ arranged by the conductor, as was the memorable concert opener Badhusintro by Sofia Soderberg sung from the back – a magical start. The balcony was used to good effect, and was where organist Peter King contributed his skillful and sensitive playing, demonstrating his stylistic versatility, not least in Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb and Jonathan Dove’s Seek Him that Maketh the Seven Stars.
A couple of pieces worth highlighting include Wolfran Buchenburg’s Klangfelder of 2003, composed of vocal vowels and consonants – a riveting sing – and Eriks Esenvalds’ 2011 Stars, accompanied by Tibetan singing bowls and tuned glasses providing a refreshing sequence of cluster chords (the players singing simultaneously!)
Director Vicente Chavarria led proceedings with class, enthusing in both his conducting and audience-chat. He manages to mix precision with artistic generosity: mutual musical respect between all involved (director-performers-audience) gave this concert something else ‘heavenly’ – something that isn’t always easy to find. All-in-all, a feeling of awe was surely experienced by all.
