While the choir evolved from a group in Saint Patrick’s Cathedral it only reformed in Saint Bartholomew’s as The Clyde Chorale about a year ago. With five sopranos and four on each of the other parts the balance of voices admirably suited the Vivaldi Gloria striking the exciting pace that is essential at the commencement. Indeed many larger choral societies can have difficulty attaining this. There were many wonderful moments, particularly that lovely duet ‘Laudamus te’ where the soloist Philippa Dand combined beautifully with choir member Louise Mc Mahon. We were to hear Philippa soloing again in the Domine Deus and the Agnus Dei where her wonderful range was exposed. What a lovely lower register she has for a soprano. Bouncing about on the seat of our Chamber Organ accompanying and controlling everything was of course, Fraser Wilson. Next Fraser moved to our church organ for an’ Adagio’ by contemporary composer David Bednall. This is a massive piece with a haunting melody which calls on the full range of our marvellous organ ending pleasingly with major chording. The choir then sang Vernon Hoyle’s ‘God be in my head’ which is sung firstly in unison by the full choir and this is not so easy as it sounds, but their accuracy was both impressive and profound. One other piece of organ excitement, in the second half of the program, was John Williams’ ‘Star Wars’. A number of pleasing motets and folk songs featured in the second half of the program and I would single out some lovely singing by Mary Milne in Vaughan Williams’ ‘O taste and See’. The concert concluded with Bob Chilcott’s ‘An Irish Blessing’ and we congratulate the Clyde Chorale and its Musical Director, Fraser Wilson for a lovely evening of music.
Bobby Barden