Choirs Delight Audience

hose fortunate enough to have witnessed the concert at St. Mary’s Church, Newmarket, on Saturday 24 th October will remember the night for a long time to come. Four very talented choirs, one English and three German, came together to provide a very special night’s entertainment.

The host choir, the ‘St. Edmundsbury Male Voice’, started the proceedings with a wonderful selection from the Welsh Male Voice repertoire. These songs, as always, were delivered with emotion and clarity, led by Musical Director Mark Jefferson. Then the German choirs took turns to perform. Firstly a small Male Voice Choir, ‘Mannergsangverein 1865’, delighted the audience with a short selection of songs. They were followed by a large mixed voice choir, ‘Allegro’, who, with a beautifully balanced sound, provided an equally well received selection. The third German group provided something rather different for the audience. A six piece a cappella choir, called ‘Quintenzirkel’, took to the stage and immediately won the audience’s admiration. It is a rare thing for an audience to demand an encore in the middle of a concert. However, such was Quitenzirkel’s rapport and sheer showmanship, particularly during their performance of ‘Only You’ by the Flying Pickets, that at the end of their contribution, more was demanded and a grateful audience was duly rewarded for their applause.

With the audience showing its appreciation the choirs all responded well and the mixed choir again took the stage, singing in English, and setting many a foot tapping with versions of ‘At the Hop’ and ‘Route 66’. It was left to the hosts to draw the evening to a close with a selection of more modern songs, including ‘You Raise me Up’. The final performance of the evening brought the German and English Male Choirs together singing in English. The result was a stunning performance of ‘Llanfair’, another rousing Welsh hymn tune. As the final ‘amen’ echoed around the church the audience rose in a standing ovation which was long and richly deserved.

Elena Lyutserina