Review: King’s Lynn Festival Chorus’ recent choral concert at St Nicholas’ Chapel, King’s Lynn

Despite the depressing weather on the evening of the King’s Lynn Festival Chorus’s recent choral concert at Lynn’s St Nicholas’ Chapel, the spirits were lifted from the very start with enjoyable and engrossing performances of a variety of sacred choral works from the English tradition, ranging from the mid-19th Century to the present day.

The programme was entitled ‘I was glad’ and did indeed include Sir Hubert Parry’s famous anthem, a setting of Psalm 122, in an uplifting performance.

The Festival Chorus was conducted with his usual flair by Ben Horden, and he was joined during the concert by Francesca Massey on the organ and excellent soloists Leva Palaimintoja, Ania Szypula, Colin Gilmore, and Peter Hancock, all received with enthusiasm by the audience.

Compositions included those by William Mathias, Herbert Howells, Benjamin Britten, Cecilia McDowall, Samuel Sebastian Wesley, Jonathan Dove, Edward Elgar, Charles V Stanford, Percy Whitlock and, of course, Sir. Hubert H Parry, whose famous tune to William Blake’s words: ‘and did those feet in ancient times’ served as an appropriate and moving encore which rounded off the evening’s musical survey of the tradition.

Another concert with works included from the times of Tallis and Byrd up to the mid-19th Century would be popular with a future audience, I’m sure!

Ben Horden, together with the chorus and a brass ensemble from The Royal Academy of Music, will present a special Christmas Carol Concert on Saturday, December 20, starting 5pm at St. Nicholas’ Chapel; described as a concert for all the family, readings and carols for choir and audience with brass will be included. Tickets available by contacting: 01553 764864, under 16s go free!

Andy Tyler