Nova! Nova!, Southern Consort of Voices & Choir of St Paul’s Cathedral, St Paul’s Cathedral, Saturday, December 8.
There have been a number of choral recitals in Dunedin recently and Saturday evening saw the last for this year in St Paul’s Cathedral, when Southern Consort of Voices (director Daniel Kelly) combined with St Paul’s Cathedral Choir (director Michael Grant) for an excellent programme of a capella Yuletide repertoire.
The choirs and soloists were in good voice for the large audience.
The combined choir of 35 singers opened with the eight-part Frohlocket, ihr Volker auf Erden by Mendelssohn, a polyphonic piece by Palestrina Surge, Illuminare Jerusalem, then a contemporary work Totus Tuus composed by Gorecki to celebrate a pilgrimage to Poland by Pope John Paul II.
This was a real highlight — thrilling choral texture at its most beautiful echoing through the cathedral by the large group of dedicated choristers.
The consort’s six varied works included a rhythmic 13th century motet Alle Psallite, Kodaly’s most famous choral work Esti Dal (soloist Kathy Sim), a bright folksy Nova! Nova! by Chilcott and various traditional and contemporary pieces by Lauridsen, Part and Claas.
The cathedral’s resident choir performed an evocative In Bethlehem Above composed in London by Yshani Perinpanayagam during a Covid lockdown.
Other works were a motet by Byrd, a lively celebratory Tomorrow Shall Be My Dancing Day (Willcocks), a contemporary setting of Coventry Carol by Hazrati and a 2020 piece by Briggs.
A bracket of four vocal solos accompanied by Mark Bevin featured Teddy Finney-Waters O del mio amato ben (Donaudy), Cathy Sim Only a Miracle (Barab), Griffin Nichol Nun Wandre, Maria (Wolf) and Kieran Kelly Wie bist du, meine Konigin (Brahms).
The final combined choir bracket included an effective "surround sound" arrangement of Es ist ein Ros Entsprungen by Sandstrom before a final joyful arrangement of We Wish You A Merry Christmas.
