Review of Crieff Choral Group concert

Dec 2 2011 Perthshire Advertiser Friday

“IT’S a Grand Night for Singing.” So the programme of Crieff Choral Group’s first biannual concert last Saturday was advertised. The night outside was far from grand – cold, wet, chill winded – but in the hall the performance radiated comforting warmth. ‘A Night for Grand Singing’ would have perhaps been a more appropriate title.

The programme was packed mainly with songs from the great American musicals which hit the cinemas in the 1950s, reminders to many of the audience of what I, at least, can think of as “My salad days, when I was green in judgment”.

Unlike some modern shows, which feature perhaps only one or two memorable tunes, these older musicals are bursting with songs with pertinent lyrics set to easily remembered tunes. Carousel, South Pacific, Oklahoma, The King and I, West Side Story, My Fair Lady all carry emotional weight, acting as life assuring and gloom dispelling divertimenti in a time of austerity.

Thoroughly brought up to the mark by conductor Peter Rutterford, the singers were able to perform with absolute commitment and confidence and understanding of the works, engaged in both head and heart. Cohesion and balance owed much to the men of the chorus. Most commendable was the clarity of diction displayed throughout.

In the rich variety of songs individual listeners could find favourites. The hearty opening to Oklahoma, the wistful My Little Valentine, Climb Every Mountain, full of yearning, There’s Nothing like a Dame, exuding verve, You’ll Never Walk Alone with all its sad overtones? Or perhaps I’m just a Gal that Can’t Say No sung by Jennie Turnbull, pert and cheeky, or Michael Owens, Howard Keel born again, in They’ve Gone as Fur as They Can Go, or John Drummond’s lead in Some Enchanted Evening, leaving all in the house misty eyed.

Surely top of many folks’ list were the contributions of the winsome, winning Pandy Arthur, the ever welcome guest artist. With purity of voice and convincing characterisation she brought delicacy, refinement and poignancy to Somewhere from West Side Story, and melted every heart, however hard, in Hello Young Lovers from The King and I.

The need of expert accompaniment to the choir in a programme so full and diverse was met with great proficiency and sympathy by pianist Melvyn Turnbull.

Conductor and singers can take much pleasure in having set the patrons out into the wintry night with a song in their hearts.

Sigurd Scott