Rossetti Requiem

“The performers were all outstanding and it was clear that much preparation had been involved. Lambert gave clear direction and brought everything together in an inspirational performance. This was a brave composition with some hints of Britten and Vaughan Williams. There was much anguish in the music.  However, long passages of disturbing expressionistic sounds were relieved by calmer and warmer sections.  There was clever use of programmatic ideas and irregular rhythms.” (Newbury Weekly News)
Feedback submitted by choir members

• I enjoy the opportunity to sing a new work. It’s a challenge as the strange harmonies, chromatic melodies and syncopated rhythms are something we are not used to.
• One doesn’t get the immediate satisfaction of singing familiar melodies but  there can be a deeper satisfaction of working at the music, an emerging understanding as the parts come together and it gradually makes sense overall.
• The hardest was no 6 because of its complexity, the contrast between the ‘winter’ and ‘spring’ music and the cross rhythms in the latter – but it was very effective when we did achieve it.
• What I thought interesting about the music was that in contrast to Rossetti’s relatively even rhythms, Ed varied the metre and played with repeating words or phrases in different rhythms.
• One of the pleasures of singing this work was that it was a bit more difficult and stretched us. Life has more to offer than Rutter or Bob Chilcot or even Stainer, Handel and Mozart, but I longed for a rolling melody that I could hum in the bath. So, my reaction was mixed. Audience reaction was mixed too. It varied from ‘I’d like to listen to it again’ to ‘I had no idea what it was about’ or, worse perhaps, no comment at all.
• The melodies become etched in ones brain and we admit to humming them about the house!
• Rehearsing and then performing a new work gives one a chance to appreciate it in a way that the audience never will; and that opportunity to examine and gain more understanding of a work (old or new) is what makes singing in a choir or playing in an orchestra such a worthwhile undertaking.
• I am not a fan of modern music. However it is a great privilege to have a piece of music written specifically for us and to give the very first performance.  It was an interesting piece and I could certainly appreciate its artistic merit.  There was a logic about it and some good tunes. All in all, I think it was a positive experience.
• I would usually avoid anything too new!  But as a result of doing the Rossetti Req with Ed & the choir I would say that it is important to do new things.
  
• I still find it hard to listen to new music but would certainly sing this (and possibly other new music) again.
  
• [My friends] genuinely enjoyed the evening. It was a good mix. They also enjoyed all the different sounds in the orchestra. There was lots going on to hold their attention.
• I like tunes - and Ed wrote some lovely, singable tunes in this piece. A lot of members commented that they'd caught themselves humming the tunes at odd times - I certainly did. The time changes were challenging - particularly for me a total musical beginner but there was a huge sense of achievement when it all came together. Although I found it hard work trying to master the technicalities I learnt a lot about music/timing/singing whist preparing the piece and very much enjoyed singing it at the concert.
• It was certainly a challenge but the sense of achievement we had when we (more or less) got it right on the night was special. It seemed a pity not to have sung it more than once.  I especially enjoyed the words – by necessity much of what we sing often has predictable words and the Requiem gave me the opportunity to think more about how words and music inter-relate. I think it was quite an accessible piece for the listener and the combination of instruments used was very exciting.
• Despite being a little apprehensive intially, I really grew to love it and appreciated its beauty and the opportunity to perform it.
• I gained the impression from some members of the audience that they appreciated the complexity and challenge of the piece and the standard of the performance.
• I'm not a devotee of new music and I hadn't heard any new music in Newbury before. The only other new music I had done had been single, dischordant, sacred choral pieces. It was lovely with the Rossetti to be involved in a whole new work rather than just a single piece, so it has changed my view of new music and now I will be keener to be involved in new works than I was beforehand!
• One of the best bits was having Ed conducting because it was exciting to know that all the interpretation and instructions were coming straight from the composer.  The Rossetti was my first concert with the choir and I really enjoyed it.
• Having ones own conductor as the composer can give you an insight into what inspired him to write the music as he did.
• …I soon found myself absorbed by the sounds and harmonies created which at moments appeared to be quite complex. Both choir and orchestra combined to produce a very effective piece of music … an accomplished work that should be heard again. I do think it is always good to be challenged – I (a tenor) joined the choir after attending this concert.