Music Review: Hoylake Choral Society, Hoylake Chapel

Nov 19 2007 by Glyn Mon Hughes, Liverpool Daily Post

IT TAKES courage to perform Verdi’s Requiem.

For a start, it’s a well-known work, so any imperfections will be spotted by the audience.

It’s also one of Verdi’s most dramatic works, famously described by Hans von Bulow as “an opera in an ecclesiastical dress”.

But, if the drama is not searing, the work can fall flat. And there are some horrific challenges for the chorus, especially that notorious eight-part fugue in the Sanctus.

Then there’s the venue. It’s the sort of work which fits huge concert halls or cathedrals. But Hoylake Choral Society, embarking on their triumphant diamond jubilee season, chose to perform this massive work in the intimate surroundings of Hoylake Chapel. Furthermore, they opted for organ accompaniment.

So, as if there were not enough challenges already, they produced some home-made hurdles to surmount.

And they did so with considerable aplomb.

For a start, they employed David Houlder as organ accompanist.

Here is a performer of exceptional talent, every ounce of which was called upon to perform this work.

He did so admirably, virtually note-perfect.

The organ imported for the occasion – an electronic instrument – lacked the force of a “real” instrument, but he coaxed from it some interesting and atmospheric sounds but it really could not compete with the might of an orchestra at full pelt in a movement like the Dies Irae.

Conductor Jim Wrightson had the chorus exactly where he wanted them.

The discipline was impeccable, the diction generally excellent, even in that famously fiendish fugue.

While they could belt out the Dies Irae and the Sanctus, the pianissimo sections, especially in the last movement were as moving as they were atmospheric.

Just occasionally the tenors rather let the side down sounding rather weak, even flat in places, such as the Rex Tremendae.

A powerful quartet of soloists, students from the Royal Northern College of Music, added to the performance.

Tenor Blake Fisher was especially striking in the Ingemisco Tamquam Reus movement.

His colleagues – soprano Janet Fischer, mezzo-soprano Nicola Dunne and baritone John Dempsey – came together in some beautiful ensembles, such as the Lachrymosa, though it did seem odd at times that the soprano had her head buried in her score.

A sterling performance, one of which conductor and performers could be proud.