REVIEW: Saint James’s Singers and Players
Deirdre Shields reviews Saint James’s Singers and Players – Mozart Requiem/Haydn Theresienmesse, St Mary’s Church, Warwick – Saturday 14 April
The Saint James’s Singers and Players performed Mozart’s famous, heart-stopping Requiem, and Haydn’s lesser known, but very lovely, Theresienmesse at St Mary’s, Warwick. The Saint James’s Singers began life as a small church choir in Alveston. Under the baton of their founder and conductor, Julian Harris, they have grown in size and stature to become one of the area’s leading ensembles, with Dame Judi Dench as their Patron, and Catherine Bott, the Soprano and Classic FM presenter, their President.
The Saint James’s Singers are unusual for being a choir of mixed ages – right down to 10-year-old children, when they sing with the Junior Saint James’s Singers. This relationship came about through two inspirational local music teachers, Julian Harris and Julian Shortman (‘the Julians’, as they are affectionately known), and the mixed ages lends a real vibrancy, and multi-layered sound, to the choir.
They were joined by the very talented Saint James’s Players, and top-flight young Soloists. Alto, Alexandra Gibson is much in demand as a Baroque soloist throughout the UK and Europe, performing with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the Gabrieli and English Consorts, and the Berlin Philarmonic. Tenor, Ed Harrisson has performed with Ex Cathedra, the CBSO, the RSC, British Youth Opera, and at the BBC Proms. Bass, Jack Holton has sung with the LSO under Sir Simon Rattle, and performed at the Wigmore Hall and, closer to home, at Longborough Festival Opera, and Chipping Campden Festival.
In a dramatic, show-must-go-on twist, 19-year-old Mollie Smith, a talented young Warwickshire Soprano (and Ilmington’s nightingale), stepped in at less than 24 hours’ notice. Silver-voiced Mollie was one of the founder members of the Junior Saint James’s Singers, so this made it a real family affair. Together, the four Soloists lit up the night.
Composed in honour of Princess Maria Theresa, the Theresienmesse brings forth the inventiveness, colour and brilliant orchestration ‘Papa’ Haydn was acclaimed for. (When Napoleon captured Vienna, he set a guard of honour outside Haydn’s house.) It made for a rich programme, alongside Mozart’s magnificent, defiant Requiem, composed as he was dying. Soloists, Choir and Orchestra responded with huge passion, and performance highlights included their wrathful Dies Irae, and a piercing Lacrimosa.
As Mozart’s Requiem drew to a close, Julian Harris – a keen racing man – urged his choir on, like a Cheltenham Gold Cup winner surging up the Cheltenham hill. They responded with a resounding Lux Aeterna, that left St Mary’s stone pillars reverberating, and brought many of the audience to their feet, in a standing ovation.
