18th December 2007

18th December 2007
Christmas Music
Review by John Brook

Following the well-received performance of Haydn’s Creation on 8th. December, on Tuesday last I enjoyed an evening of Christmas music from Cirencester Choral Society and The Cirencester Band at The Bingham Hall.

The programme included a series of band pieces, the highlights of which were “Five Airs and Dances” by the French Composer, Lully, and “Sonata Pian’e Forte”, by Gabrieli. They were conducted by Ian Hartnell with energy and authority. His own composition “A Bingham Flourish” made a rousing start to the evening.

The choir’s training really is most impressive, with very high musical standards much in evidence under their conductor, Carleton Etherington. The highlights for me were the carol “Deck the Hall”, and their fine performance, along with baritone Christopher Monk, of Vaughan Williams “Fantasia on Christmas Carols”. They joined forces with the Band and a near-capacity audience to enjoy very spirited singing of the traditional Christmas carols.

Additional items were Joyce Grenfell’s “Nativity Play”, read by Aileen Anderson, and a group of Christmas Poems by U.A. Fanthorpe, read by Jackie Wilson.

The evening’s Celebration raised over £500 for the Save The Children Fund.