Review: Cantores Olicanae Christmas Concert at St John’s Church

IT was an early evening delight to be able to attend Cantores Olicanae’s concert last Saturday.

Five o’clock seems an appropriate time for carols and mince pies and a large audience assembled at St John’s for this enjoyable occasion.

The choir was on excellent form with clear diction, good balance and blend throughout and the audience was joining in with equal enthusiasm by the time we reached Hark the herald angels sing! An enterprising and varied programme is what we expect from this choir, always interspersed with carefully chosen readings which give a modern edge to the Christmas story.

The choir started with nicely crisp rhythms in Howard Skempton’s Adam lay ybounden, followed by excellent hummed accompaniments in David Willcocks’s setting of Gabriel’s message. Sally Beamish’s In the stillness was wonderfully atmospheric with good hushed singing and Cantores gave an enjoyable account of John Rutter’s perennial favourite – Nativity carol. The first half finished with an ambitious performance of Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on Christmas Carols for the composer’s 150 anniversary. The choir with Robert Sudall on piano were joined by Fiona Smyth (cello) and Ian Smyth (baritone) for what was a thoroughly accomplished performance.

Highlights of the second half were two excellent arrangements by current and previous music directors of the choir – Rory Wainwright Johnstone’s fragmented and bell-like version of Ding, dong, merrily on high and Charlie Perry’s drone-based setting of the Cornish Sans Day carol. Charlie Perry marshalled his forces with consummate ease adding, this year, Geoff Cloke’s trumpet to reinforce the descants, as well as proving a charming master of ceremonies. We were all sent cheerfully on our way with a full-bloodied performance of Goff Richard’s Hollywood-inspired compilation A merry little Christmas – an excellent conclusion!