Local Singers Launch Worthwhile Relief Fund
by Brian Jones
“A Singer’s Voice,” presented last Saturday evening at Back Bay’s Church of the Covenant, launched “The Boston Singers’ Relief Fund,” a worthy venture by any measure, and the program made it clear that we have much to celebrate in our professional singers. Not only had they been well rehearsed, but they sounded like an experienced and cohesive ensemble, not always the easiest thing to achieve with a group of professional singers. Murray Kidd was organizer and conductor of this concert, which featured a broad range of choral music as well as one operatic excerpt from Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, which featured Barbara Kilchuff, soprano. Stanford’s serene “Beati Quorum Via” provided sweet contrast to the sturdiness of the opening Mendelssohn work, and Hubert Parry’s grand and glorious “I Was Glad,” rang out in elegant grandeur through the lofty rafters of the church. Frederick MacArthur managed the organ accompaniment deftly, and this performance even included the stirring “Vivat Regina” section that is often omitted. “Agnus Dei,” from the interesting Mass by Puccini was charming, made even more so by tenor Michael Calmes’ lovely singing. There were many short, splendid solos in Vaughan Williams’ Serenade to Music, and one had the happy feeling here, as in the rest of the program, that the singers were collaborating, not competing: a wonderful thing. I have never been entirely convinced by this piece, but this performance made the best case to date. “For All We Know,” by Fred Coots in an arrangement by Brent Pierce was the very quiet concluding anthem. It was refreshing, especially in the context of this evening’ program, to end quietly and thoughtfully. [Click title for full review] [continued]
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