Warmth and Dignity

A concert of mainly twentieth-century French choral music was an attractive proposition, and so it turned out, the Derwent Singers and conductor Richard Roddis soon laying to rest any concerns about a possible lack of expressive variety (St Osmund's Church, Derby, UK, 19 March 2016). The main work was Duruflé's Requiem, based on plainsong tunes, and it was a neat idea to prepare the ground by including his Four Motets on Gregorian Themes in the first half, divided into two separate pairs. Ubi Caritas had a fine sense of flow, though Tota Pulchra Es was a touch too quick for ideal clarity...