Thrilling choral texture beautiful in cathedral

Nova! Nova!, Southern Consort of Voices & Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral, Saturday, December 8.

Review by Elizabeth Bouman in Otago Daily Times 11 December 2023.

There have been a number of choral recitals in Dunedin recently and Saturday evening saw the last for this year in St Paul’s Cathedral, when Southern Consort of Voices (director Daniel Kelly) combined with St Paul’s Cathedral Choir (director Michael Grant) for an excellent programme of a capella Yuletide repertoire.

The choirs and soloists were in good voice for the large audience.

The combined choir of 35 singers opened with the eight-part Frohlocket, ihr Volker auf Erden by Mendelssohn, a polyphonic piece by Palestrina Surge, Illuminare Jerusalem, then a contemporary work Totus Tuus composed by Gorecki to celebrate a pilgrimage to Poland by Pope John Paul II.

This was a real highlight — thrilling choral texture at its most beautiful echoing through the cathedral by the large group of dedicated choristers.

The consort’s six varied works included a rhythmic 13th century motet Alle Psallite, Kodaly’s most famous choral work Esti Dal (soloist Cathy Sim), a bright folksy Nova! Nova! by Chilcott and various traditional and contemporary pieces by Lauridsen, Part and Claas.

The cathedral’s resident choir performed an evocative In Bethlehem Above composed in London by Yshani Perinpanayagam during a Covid lockdown.

Other works were a motet by Byrd, a lively celebratory Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (Willcocks), a contemporary setting of Coventry Carol by Hazrati and a 2020 piece by Briggs.

A bracket of four vocal solos accompanied by Mark Bevin featured Teddy Finney-Waters O del mio amato ben (Donaudy), Cathy Sim Only a Miracle (Barab), Griffin Nichol Nun Wandre, Maria (Wolf) and Kieran Kelly Wie bist du, meine Konigin (Brahms).

The final combined choir bracket included an effective “surround sound” arrangement of Es ist ein Ros Entsprungen by Sandstrom before a final joyful arrangement of We Wish You A Merry Christmas.

Well-established voices add to special repertoire

Review by Elizabeth Bouman in Otago Daily Times 3 October 2023.

St Paul’s Cathedral was the venue on Sunday for an afternoon recital by the Southern Consort of Voices.

A reasonably sized audience enjoyed the programme, and as usual with this well-established group, some new and interesting repertoire was performed.

Musical director Daniel Kelly always manages to put together an interesting programme, often themed and always including unusual or little-known a cappella works.

Sunday’s was entitled “an eclectic collection of songs for spring”.

The consort of 16 has a unique blend and excellent intonation which regular followers have come to know and enjoy.

They began with two Renaissance pieces — Surge, Illuminare, Jerusalem by Palestrina and Alma Redemptoris Mater (Peter Phillips).

Both were well-paced with good balance.

Three songs from a set of six by Timothy Hurd (1972-2023) entitled Magnetic South: Dunedin Peninsula Seascape were performed in memory of this local composer and member of the consort in past years.

The three songs used lyrics from poems — Magnetic South, from a poem by Sue Wootton, Dunedin Morning, a short poem by Karen Peterson Butterworth, and Dunedin Summer, by Jean Lonie.

All with words of poetic beauty, totally recognisable for locals and sheathed in well-balanced harmonic blends.

Piano Practice by Anthony Ritchie with text by Lauris Edmond was followed by The Owl and the Pussycat and Sing a Song of Sixpence from John Rutter’s Five Childhood Lyrics, brought humour in their words.

Guest artist soprano Erin Connelly-Whyte accompanied by Sandra Crawshaw presented a bracket of three solos which included the popular Vilja-Lied from The Merry Widowby Franz Lehar.

A cappella arrangements of songs by Billy Joel, Sara Groves and Kate Rusby were followed by a strong and impressive rendition in Finnish of Finlandia-hymni by Sibelius, and the final bracket included several soloists for A Ukrainian Prayer by Rutter.