Saint Cecilia Singers

Reviews of our Latest Concerts

'This was not, as might be expected, a celebration of Cheltenham’s most famous musical son. It was, in fact, a tribute to Ralph Vaughan Williams, Gustav Holst’s close friend and supporter, commemorating the death of Vaughan Williams exactly fifty years ago.

The Cecilia Singers brought with them some of the music that they had performed so splendidly in Gloucester Cathedral during the ‘RVW in Spring weekend a few weeks ago. Conducted by Russell Burton, they afforded a dip into the astonishing range of Vaughan Williams’ choral music.

The Singers delivered vibrant performances and relished the modal harmonies of Five Mystical Songs, the adventurous effects and chord clusters in Three Shakespeare Songs and the wonderfully inventive settings of English folk songs. Five Mystical Songs were enhanced by the clarity of baritone soloist James McKelvey.

Holst did put in an appearance - his striking Latin setting of the Nunc Dimittis was sung with passion.

Interspersed between these, there were solos played by the accomplished young organist, Ashley Grote. The simple charm of Vaughan Williams’ parabolic Prelude on Rhosymedre was well contrasted with a grandiose account of Fantasia and Fugue in G by Hubert Parry, a composer admired by RVW.'

Colin Burrow  (Cheltenham Echo)