‘A Summer Celebration’ in Ely Cathedral last Saturday must be one of the major highlights of the year and it certainly celebrated the 10th anniversary of the Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir magnificently.
The performers included Ely Cathedral Girls’ Choir, Ely Cathedral Octagon Singers, The Ely Imps, The Ely Celebration Orchestra (led by Emma Gait) and famous guests Lesley Garrett (soprano) and John Rutter (composer and conductor). With a line-up like this, success was inevitable and it was no surprise that the cathedral was packed.
The quality of performance was undisputed and from the spine-tingling opening when the massed choir began to sing Zadok the Priest, there was not a moment that did not fill the cathedral with wonderful sound.
After Sarah MacDonald led the massed choir singing ‘Zadok the Priest’ the girls, boys and men’s choirs sang the other Coronation anthems: ‘The King shall Rejoice’ and ‘My heart is Inditing. Sarah’s conducting was exceptional.
John Rutter is an inspiring composer who writes music that is both delightful and accessible and the pieces he chose for The Ely Imps were ideal. They included ‘Magical Kingdon’, ‘Look at the World’ and ‘For the Beauty of the Earth’. Under his baton the young singers sang beautifully, their voices clear and the music expressive and heart-warming. Asked what the secret of good composing is, John Rutter immediately replied: ‘Believe in it and study hard.’ This is wise advice from what must be one of the world’s most renowned current composers. Equally famous Lesly Garrett joined the singers in ‘Laudate Dominum’ by Mozart and Stanford’s ‘Magnificat in G’ both of which were conducted by Sarah MacDonald. Needless to say, the effect was utterly stunning.
Beethoven’s ‘Mass in C’ was chosen to close the evening and the performers rose to the occasion wonderfully. Under Paul Trepte’s directorship they fully explored Beethoven’s quieter reflections, contrasts, intensity and changes of pace. The soloists were excellent and included Tara Bungard (soprano), Karl Read (alto), Mark Hounsell (tenor) and Jonathan Midgley (bass). For Tara this event was a real family affair for present in the audience was her mother, Sue Freestone, (Principal of The King’s School Ely where the choristers attend) who proudly admitted that her grandchildren were also performing as members of Ely Imps.
This was indeed a unique, splendid evening that would be nigh on impossible to surpass.
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