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Bounce and Jollity

Derby Bach Choir's cathedral Christmas presentation
reviewed by MIKE WHEELER

 

This was the first time Derby Bach Choir put on a Christmas concert in Derby Cathedral (Derby, UK, 8 December 2007), and judging by its success it won't be the last.

The choir items were familiar Carols for Choirs territory and none the worse for that, though it was a pity the Coventry Carol had to be in Martin Shaw's watered-down version. If William Mathias' Sir Christèmas was a little lacking in polish, it had plenty of bounce and jollity.

The Choir of Portway Junior School contributed Everywhere, everywhere Christmas tonight, an inventive sequence of songs from, or describing, Christmas celebrations in different parts of the world, put together and arranged by Philip Brooke. The narration was supplied by the subject of the first song, Pablo the Reindeer, in person (a Mexican reindeer? Don't ask).

There was, of course, plenty of audience participation, including The Twelve Days of Christmas, in which the various days were divided among different sections of the audience. It was a fun idea that could have got out of control but conductor Richard Roddis expertly held it all together.

Copyright © 29 December 2007 Mike Wheeler, Derby UK

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DERBY BACH CHOIR

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