Haydn's Creation

MICHAEL DRAKE

Achiev-ed is the glorious work - if not completely, the “inspiration for the future” campaign for the already functioning refectory and the soon to be completed hostry, is close enough to its financial target to have warranted a Celebration Concert on Saturday evening with this quite appropriate oratorio.

The combined voices of the Tallis Chamber Choir and Norwich Cathedral's Senior Girls Choristers and the Alexandra Players with a large number of musicians from both the region and London including chamber organist David Dunnett and conducted by TCC's founder Philip Simms, set the mood immediately with a most interpretive 'Representation of Chaos' introduction as a forerunner to the days of creations.

And the soloists continued in that vein - Roy Rashbrook as Uriel, a traditional English tenor whose early uneven tone was refreshed well before the Sixth Day, Lynda Russell (Gabriel) a soprano whose clarity was hardly diminished by a heavy cold and baritone David Wilson-Johnson, vocally an impassioned and descriptive commentator Raphael.

The chorus struggled at times to project over the strong orchestra and keep a good balance themselves. But they produced impressive and forthright work in the well-known and oft sung 'The heavens are telling' and, particularly following one of the evening's highlights in the solo trio, the final chorus. Achieved was the glorious work indeed.