Palmerston North's Renaissance Singers don't disappoint capacity audience

Palmerston North composer Tim Devlin was inspired by items in the Manawatū Times of 1877 for his work Outside the Square. Photo / Supplied

Squaring Up
Renaissance Singers
St Peter's Church
Saturday, October 16
Reviewed by Jenny Boyack

Saturday night's Renaissance Singers concert had a decidedly family feel as we gathered to honour the work of four composers, presented by a fine team of musicians with a wide range of local connections.

Palmerston North-raised Jonathan Berkahn's A Hopkins Gloria was an appropriate and accessible opening work.

From the lilting Celtic-style opening theme sensitively played by saxophonist Stephanie McKenzie, to mezzo-soprano Eleanor McGechie's warmly rendered solo sections, the gloria traversed broad emotional territory with numerous moments to delight the ear.

The soft choral "praise him" ending Pied Beauty was one such gift and the interplay between soloists, choir and instrumentalists was carefully balanced throughout.

There seemed no better way to remember the late Helen Caskie than to hear her wonderful Seven Songs of the Spirit, accompanied beautifully by Guy Donaldson.

This work demands a great deal from musicians and listeners. At times the choir felt a little under-rehearsed in terms of capturing the impressionistic harmonies, an understandable consequence of a Covid-interrupted rehearsal process, but it never failed to deliver in terms of musical character and intent.

Among many beautiful moments of Seven Songs, the dawn chorus-like opening from flautist Diana Neild, carefully shaped offerings from soprano Nadya Slack and baritone Lindsay Yeo, and I Who Am The Beauty in which the sound floated across the soloists and into the choir were particular highlights.

Tim Devlin's quirky Outside the Square was a perfect contrast to the big existential themes of the other three works.

Full of deceptively challenging harmonic shifts, unexpected forays into varied musical styles such as the Anglican chant in Tarquin's Ravishing Strides, accompaniments (superbly realised by Berkahn at the organ) that ranged from cheeky to brashly confident, this work deserves more outings with the Renaissance Singers.

How fitting that the final word for the night should go to Graham Parsons, patron and founding director of the Renaissance Singers.

An Anniversary Mass uses the framework of the Latin mass, interspersed with soloist reflections on our place in the world around us. This has all the elements we have come to expect from Parsons – strong rhythmic movement, confident understanding of vocal resources and a wide emotional canvas.

Tenor soloist Nigel Tongs' interlude in the benedictus provided one of many highlights.

Christine Archer-Lockwood led confidently and with great musicality and, in spite of occasional tuning lapses from the choir, the overall sound was focused, balanced and unified. This concert promised much to the capacity audience and we were not disappointed.

Our thanks to the Renaissance Singers for this opportunity to appreciate composers and performers who have come to our notice recently and those who have been special to Manawatū audiences for decades.