(1) In the St Andrews Citizen, May 13:
(2) In the Dundee Courier (by Gary Fraser): However, that is a small point which did nothing to detract from an excellent performance. The orchestra, the ever-reliable Heisenberg Ensemble, set the scene with a beautiful prelude, almost requiem-like, and this excellence continued throughout, short on strings perhaps but lacking nothing in skill and expertise.
The chorus, some of them experiencing this marvellous choral work for the first time, gave a performance any choral society would have been proud of, spirited and energetic in the full-blooded choruses and reflective and serene in the sections devoted to the Angelicals.
Musical director Michael Downes had obviously schooled them well and although the chorus was split from stage and gallery, there was no evidence of choral fragmentation and only a few instances when they were blocked by the orchestra's full power. The St Salvator's Singers, precariously perched on the edge of the stage, also played a special part in the evening's quality performance.
This was Downes' first Gerontius and it could easily have been his fifty-first, such was his secure, unflustered and methodical direction maintaining eye-contact with all concerned, a vital part of any conductor's make-up. His choice of tempi, particularly in the exchanges between Gerontius and the Angel, ensured nothing dragged, a common facet with some amateur performances.
Of the three soloists, it wasn't the much-lauded Justin Lavender (Gerontius) who came out tops. His CV is very impressive when it comes to this role and his performance was god, but no better than other tenors I have hear in the oratorio arena. Strong and lyrical indeed, but I felt some drama could have been injected into the performance. When it came to drama, Jonathan May (bass) and Tania Holland Williams (mezzo) had it in abundance. May's opening Proficiscere smacked of authoritative power and he continued in this vein throughout. Ms Williams brought a touch of the operatic to the part of the Angel, which was quite fitting bearing in mind the work's context.
The performance was tarnished slightly by the number of latecomers who traipsed into the hall , oblivious of the audience and to any concert decorum. Some stewarding would have ensured they remained outside until a suitable lull in the proceedings. Still once in situ, they could enjoy an excellent performance from a large, enthusiastic and capable choir, a fine orchestra and a conductor of whom nothing seems beyond his powers not only to bring off, but bring off successfully.
Any performance of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius is a massive undertaking and not only is it a challenging work for all concerned it needs a large chorus, large orchestra and semi-chorus to come to terms with the composer's powerful score.It also needs a venue capable of nurturing each of the above, either independently or together. St Andrews' Younger Hall is a fine venue for most concerts, but not quite big enough for the numbers mustered by the St Andrews Chorus on Saturday night. There was no room for manoeuvre, with the stage packed to the gunnels, with an over-spill into the balcony.