Review: Ilkley and Otley Choral Societies, Matthew Coleridge’s Requiem

Musical director, Alex Kyle, chose for his second concert with the Ilkley and Otley Choral societies to present Matthew Coleridge’s Requiem, a highly singable piece which has gained a considerable reputation since appearing in the Classic FM top 100 in 2023. One of its distinctives is the use of an obligato cello as well as soprano and baritone soloists and therefore Saturday’s concert programme had been ingeniously designed to exploit these resources.

Jonny Hill led the choirs in a thoroughly enjoyable performance of the first three pieces from Stanford’s Songs of the Fleet to finish the first half. Hill has a pleasant light baritone, able to put across Newbolt’s words with admirable clarity, and the choruses were sung with good balance and accuracy and particular relish when impersonating the Sou’Wester, ‘the giant that swings the seas’! Pianist, David Pipe, also excelled in the moto perpetuo accompaniment to the third song, The Middle Watch.

These were preceded by two soprano arias from different Odes for St Cecila’s Day. Elspeth Pigott’s bright clear soprano suited this repertoire well and both gave opportunities for the cellist, Andy Wardale, to demonstrate his skill – in a complex obligato part in the Handel and as the anchoring continuo cello in the Purcell. The concert had started with the choirs performing Holst’s straightforward and unexciting Short Festival Te Deum, followed by the premiere of a short new work by Peter Gosling which sets an intriguing poem – Chevin – by local poet Jeremy Pritlove, in complex choral textures without markedly enhancing it.

Coleridge’s Requiem text follows many modern settings since Fauré in leaving out most of the Dies Irae with its emphasis on judgement, concentrating rather on the tears of those left behind and their desire for rest for the departed. The accompaniments are often drone-like with the words set simply sometimes with call and response between parts of the choir or parts building in layers. The cello often echoes the chorus lines meditatively, evoking our own responses.

This was a fine performance with the choirs in good voice and the men’s voices holding their own against the greater number of the women. Elspeth Pigott once more impressed in her Pie Jesu and Lacrimosa solos and there was sensitive playing from David Pipe on organ and Andy Wardale on cello. Alex Kyle marshalled his forces well and is continuing to impress in his relatively new role.