Crouch End Festival Chorus has fully made the transition from being a novelty, but an accomplished novelty, to
receiving the recognition deserved by a chorus group of international standing.
Saturday night's performance in an almost sold-out Barbican once again reminded us just how far this group of
dedicated amateurs has come since Crouch Enders John Gregson and David Temple gave out leaflets outside
Budgens asking for volunteers to participate in the 1984 Crouch End Festival.
The entrée and starter to Saturday night's feast were Three Songs by Philip Glass and Stravinsky's Symphony of
Psalms. These served as appetisers to the main course - Brahams' German Requiem.
The Requiem is one of those pieces like the theme music to the Onedin Line or the Hovis Ad tune - one knows a
bit, but not much. The Requiem is usually trotted out as background music to TV documentaries about the Second
World War - especially if the subject is the Russian Front or the fall of Berlin. CEFC gave full justice to this moving
and majestic piece.
Usually it is the Chorus that supports the soloists (Lynne Dawson who sang at Princess Diane's funeral and the
Commander Ryker look-a-like Ashley Holland). As far as the audience was concerned, they and the National
Sinfonia were there to support CEFC.
It was obvious that this is a piece the Chorus really enjoyed performing. Under the direction of David Temple they
demonstrated the complete control and enormous power they can bring to recitals. The opening of the second
movement gave them ample opportunity to show why they have generated such respect in the music world.
The support that the Chorus has is rather akin to that of a football club (indeed, at the end of the concert a few
young members of the audience attempted a Mexican wave!). If you haven't seen them yet, I strongly recommend
that you do so this year. [See the remaining
Concert Programme - CEFC Web Editor]. If you can't, watch out for the issue of CDs later this year.
You might even want to join them. Judging by the beaming faces on Saturday night, they certainly seem to enjoy
themselves.
