R.C.M.S. concert

Press, 20 September 1982, Page 6

R.C.M.S. concert

Rossini’s “Petite Messe Solennelle,” performed by the Royal Christchurch Musical Society in the Town Hall on Saturday.', Reviewed by Heath Lees. ■ When General Booth ■complained. that the devil had “all’the’ best tunes" he must have overlooked this work. It is full of good tunes that lilt and . dance unashamedly like DaVid before the Ark. yet. it has a particular quality of reverence and sincerity, too. Rossini’s "petite" Mass: was-probably so called as a jibe atthe pretentions of works like Berlioz's “Grande Messe des Morts” just as his eventual decision to orchestrate jit was made "so that Messrs Berlioz and Sax would not mess it up" with

their huge armies of. instrumentalists. Thus the'work is a full-size piece, but has. a certain restraint and. humility which make the occasional operatic surges the more colourful. What I .enjoyed most about Saturday evening's performance was the consistent refusal to overdo the dramatic element of the music, and to settle instead for a performance that was much closer to Rossini’s original conception. That decision allowed, for the finer qualities of tone and nuance to have their effect, and Mr Robert FieldDodgson was careful to keep the orchestra well down, and allow the subtle changes in the score to make their own

impact, especially with the quiet, dovetailing’ effects for brass. -' The choir was in excellent form/ beautifully ’ blended apart .from the occasional hiatus round the tenor section, but especially successful’in the chording of. the softer passages. All four soloists — Louise Molloy, - Jtidy Bellingham. Richard Phillips, and Charles Naylor - made fine contributions, and -obviously enjoyed the work so much that they could be seen at times singing their way through the chorus parts, too. This in itself was tribute both to the inviting charm of the work and to the enjoyable quality . of the performance.