Review: Cantores Olicanae - A Parry Anniversary Concert

I was glad a bitterly cold Saturday night marked the occasion of this concert which took place at St Mary’s Church, Burley-in-Wharfedale, to observe the centenary of the death of Sir Hubert Parry. This venue was ideal, both from the point of view of the choir and audience, enabling an excellent rapport between the two. At the heart of the programme was the choral music of Sir Hubert Parry, famed above all for ‘Jerusalem’, though his talents undoubtedly went further and higher than that.

Indeed, his initial academic qualifications, were not even in the field of music!

There was certainly something for everyone in the programme, and the choir, under the baton of Rory Wainwright Johnston, had obviously put in much hard work to prepare for the occasion.

Equally, if not more outstandingly, were the contributions of the supporting artistes Geoff Cloke, the talented local trumpeter and his assistant Lucca Fairhurst, who, together with Alan Horsey on organ and piano showed much flair in their accompanying of the choral items. The tenor soloist, Zahid Siddiqui, who grew up in Dubai, performed Finzi’s ‘Dies Natalis’, his account of which left the audience in no doubt that here was a singer with the potential for a most successful future.

One didn’t come away from the concert, however, with the intended central theme of Parry’s music uppermost in mind. Indeed, the last item, strangely, was by George Dyson, which was well performed as were the items by James MacMillan whose atmospheric ‘In splendoribus sanctorum’, wonderfully enhanced by the accompanying trumpet was a highlight of the evening. In summary, it was a pity that the outside elements inevitably affected audience numbers since, overall, we were treated to a most fulfilling musical evening which bore testimony to this very enthusiastic and hardworking choir.

by Nigel Duce