Hertfordshire Chorus - The Apostles****

11:40am Monday 25th February 2008

HERTFORDSHIRE Chorus has built its supporter base to a point where it can tackle most of the choral repertoire with confidence; its performance of Elgar's The Apostles underlined that and attracted an audience approaching 500 to St Albans Abbey last Saturday.

Its partners were the Forest Philharmonic Orchestra and Girls from Hertfordshire County Youth Choir. Not even all Elgar enthusiasts regard the work as an absolute masterpiece, but here was an extremely persuasive manifesto directed by David Temple.

The orchestra has few short episodes to itself, but as these open each half of the performance, they are critical in establishing the expected quality of the remainder.

This they did, as bonus providing the Shofar (ram's horn/trumpet) call which gathers the momentum of the apostles convening at dawn. For its part, in its maturity, The Chorus is now able to change mood and dramatic influence in a short time, necessary in the Galilee and Proclaim unto them sections.

All six soloists were extremely powerful advocates, Bibi Heal taking both Angel and Blessed Virgin parts, with Peter Savidge and Graeme Danby as Jesus and Judas respectively.

Julia Batchelor triumphed in the demanding contralto role of Mary Magdalene, Michael Bundy pleaded St Peter's role eloquently and Robert Carlin combined the responsibilities of St John and the linking recitatives. There were,though moments when the orchestra and acoustics threatened their fast-moving narrative.

The Chorus, as so often in biblical works, needed to take various roles. However Elgar divided them, they added a different texture. Both the Ladies of the Chorus and Mystic Angels had soprano and contralto requirements.

That the latter produced a different tone colour is a compliment to them and to their director (Cathy Heller Jones) and to Elgar. All, including at one stage 12 independent vocal lines, was brought together in a powerful last few minutes by David Temple. There will have been converts.

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