LOVERS of Shakespeare were in for a treat and a few surprises at Romsey Choral Society's summer concert at St Cross Church, Winchester, on Saturday, July 6. 

Inspired programme planning by musical director Richard Pearce gave the fascinated audience a whistle-stop tour of no fewer than 12 of Shakespeare's plays, as well as a nod to his poetry and that of his contemporaries.

The selection of texts and musical settings for Midsummer Shakespeare had been made carefully. Common themes of romantic love, magic and mysticism and the innocent beauty of nature were juxtaposed with contrasting tales of everyday woes and illicit relationships, reminding us that, in his works, Shakespeare commentates on all aspects of humanity.

The concert opened with Anglo-American composer Sir George Shearing’s suite of "Songs and Sonnets" (1999), an upbeat tongue-in-cheek collection of seven ditties, featuring the words of some of Shakespeare's more colourful characters. Deftly accompanied on piano by Richard McVeigh, the choir skilfully negotiated fast tempos, rich harmonies, complex jazz rhythms and getting their tongues around the Elizabethan text at high speed.

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Recurrent themes were explored through programming similar pieces by several composers, including. Will Todd's take on “It was lover and his lass” (2016) from As You Like It, and in contrast, the programme included Thomas Morley's 1599 madrigal version of the same text. Sarah Quartel's 2015 setting of “I know a bank where the wild thyme blows” from A Midsummer Night's Dream, offered a gentle and fanciful description of Titania, Queen of the Fairies, sleeping peacefully in a divine woodland glade. 

In contrast, Bob Chicott’s 2017 piece “The Bird of Dawning” reflected a more resistant stance to the threat of evil, with text from Hamlet. This glorious a cappella setting showcased the tight ensemble and blend of the choir; its soaring solo line, representing the bird's song, delivered sweetly and confidently by soprano Linda Stafford.

An interesting inclusion in the programme was Robert Gower's 1997 arrangement for organ of William Walton's 1944 film score for Henry V. One of the movements from this suite, “Touch her soft lips and part”, arranged for unaccompanied mixed voice choir by Bob Chilcott, also featured in the second half of the concert.

Distinct from the buoyancy of previous items, Ivor Gurney's "Five Elizabethan Songs", arranged for choir by Lain Farrington in 2015, took us back to the harsh era of the First World War, reflecting the uncertain national mood of the time. Imbued with deep passion, the melancholic flavour of this song cycle was captured beautifully by conductor Richard Pearce and translated sensitively by the choir and accompanist.

Richard Pearce then stepped down from the podium to play a glorious contrasting piano medley of Gershwin numbers before the concert concluded with a lively selection of songs from Bernstein’s “West Side Story”, inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a fitting finale to this highly entertaining and enjoyable tribute to our national bard.

Review by Kath Tilling