Click on the thumbnails to see enlarged images of views taken at the concert by Kerry Redman

Report on concert in Bridlington Free Press

Haydn’s Creation   Bridlington Choral Society

  On Saturday 12th April 2008 the magnificent Bridlington Priory was the setting for the Choral Society’s Easter performance of Haydn’s Creation.  Led by its musical director, Alan Dance, the choir gave a spirited performance accompanied by the excellent East Riding Players ( Leader Jessica Leathley) and Mark Pybus on the organ.  The orchestra opened the evening with a tense and exciting ‘Representation of Chaos’ and produced contemplative and powerful music throughout the work.   Solo lines rose out from tutti passages and beautiful textures were weaved with the vocal trio to create some exquisite and memorable moments. The well matched soloists, Wendy Goodson (Gabriel), Stephen Newlove (Uriel) and Paul Hudson (Raphael) lifted the performance with their lyrical airs and powerful recitative. The choir was in excellent form.  Led by the basses, it tackled complex fugal entries with confidence and mastery in sections such as “Awake the Harp”.  The choir’s dynamic range and sensitive interpretation gave depth to its solid performance, making sections, such as the opening presentation of the creation of light,  extremely dramatic.  The piano entry following the bass recitative was sensitive and effective, leading up  to a great fortissimo on the word “light”,  which captured Haydn’s word painting very effectively.   All in all this was a delightful performance from the Bridlington Choral Society and one that they and the appreciative  audience obviously enjoyed.

Kerry Redman