Holy Trinity Church, Bungay

> Holy Trinity Church, Bungay

This was an enjoyable celebration of Christmas music by singers and musicians who brought a festive programme to the ancient church on Saturday.

Bungay Choral Society, under conductor Vic Kendrick, showed precision and control, particularly the final Fantasia on Christmas Carols by Vaughan Williams, and filled the church with the rich body of their voices in the crescendos.

And the Blythe String Quartet – Richard Mace, Lizzie Skinner, Ron Willoughby and Debbie Whomes brought lively merriment to the proceedings with two selections.

The choir, now one of the biggest in the area, opened their programme with Das Neugeborne Kindelein, a 17th century work by Buxtehude and also sung the popular Coventry Carol and Ding Dong Merrily on High.

The second half featured two lullabies, the Shepherd's Farewell and John Joubert's Torches.

Guest soloist was Graham Barton (baritone), who sings with a number of choirs, including the Keswick Hall Choir. And the programme included a lively organ solo, Sortie in E Flat, written and played by Tim Patient, currently head of music at Horsford Middle School.

It was an evening full of seasonal atmosphere readily appreciated by a large audience which almost filled the church, and which joined in with the carols.