On a stormy December night 60 years ago, Ilkley Choral Society gave their inaugural performance of Handel’s Messiah at Ilkley Parish Church, under the baton of founder-conductor Charles W Bainbridge.

There could scarcely have been any other choice of work to mark both the diamond jubilee of the choir and the 250th Anniversary of Handel’s death.

St Margaret’s was packed to the organ loft for a very special concert which contained one precious link with the first one. The ranks of choristers on 16th December 1949 included Ilkley singer Lydia Pettit. Five conductors and some 140 concerts later, Lydia still sings from the front row of sopranos.

The Ilkley choir, under their conductor Alan Horsley, was joined as on many occasions, by members of Otley Choral Society - a combined total of 150 choristers.

Nineteenth to mid-20th Century ‘big-scale’ Handel is enjoying something of a comeback after decades of performances and recordings deploying orchestras and choirs small enough to fit into the average living room. Ilkley Choral Society’s performance could be described as medium-scale Handel, with a large enough body of choristers to give those great choruses some beef. The early choruses in Part 1 of the oratorio sounded a little hesitant. More attack was needed to make the words leap from the page, but things soon changed.

The choirs sang as though inspired in Surely He Hath Borne Our Griefs and All We, Like Sheep Have Gone Astray. Let Us Break Their Bonds Asunder was notable for the accuracy of the rapid passage work and suppleness of phrasing. The great Halleljuhia Chorus, sung here with such glowing fervour, and crowned by some superb trumpet playing, was typical of Horsley’s careful balancing of vocal textures with the stylish accompaniment of the Yorkshire Chamber Ensemble.

A fine quartet of soloists consisted of Otley-born Opera North soprano, Joanne Dexter, whose brightness of tone and smiling presence captivated the audience.

Contralto Bridget Budge touchingly conveyed the tragedy and sorrow of He Was Despised.

The timbre of tenor Richard Ireland was strikingly clear and plangent in Behold, And See If There Be Any Sorrow Like Unto His Sorrow. A truly outstanding voice belonged to Keighley-born Neil Baker whose flexible, dark-hued bass electrified Behold, I Tell You A Mystery and The Trumpet Shall Sound. Ilkley and Otley Choral Society will take pride for many years to come in a beautifully integrated performance to which the capacity audience reacted with a storm of applause.