inging Knows No Boundaries was the title of the concert arranged by Werdorf MGV 1865 that resounded around the 200 strong audience in the TV-Halle last Saturday. The success of the evening was due in large part to St. Edmundsbury Male Voice Choir (from the Welsh town of Bury St. Edmunds).
There tone was reminiscent of the Last Night of the Proms the annual ending of the famous proms concerts. The English choral singing was a fine example of harmony, sound, strength, dynamics, balance and famously notorious British humour. Conductor, Mark Jefferson, provided humorous German explanations to the joy of the audience. Thus the concert ran beautifully despite the increasing technical difficulty and complexity of the items.
The Werdorf Choir family entertained us with their English supporters for three hours. “We meet regularly with our English friends and despite national borders and language barriers we have developed a strong personal friendship” said Karsten Bellersheim, chairman of Werdorf MGV." “The music brings us together for it is with the heart that we hear the music” he continued. Mark Jefferson spoke of the music being universal in all languages which the choir have witnessed in their repeated trips abroad. The choir have been in existence since 1988, and they are justifiably proud of their achievements. After the hosts started the concert with Johannes Schweitzer’s “Sancta Maria” and Schubert’s 23 rd Psalm under the direction of Reiner Genz the Englishmen quickly moved into a demonstration of superlative, smooth choral singing. It should be mentioned that this type of singing has its tradition in Wales. “What would I do without my music” speaks of when everything is goes wrong music puts it right was delivered just as sensitively as Llanfair a hymn sung in Wales on Ascension Day.
Whether or not it was the juxtaposition of Old Time Religion and Steal Away or the song Morte Christe or Deus Salutis the audience listened to the performances breathlessly and responded with rapturous applause., One of the highpoints of the concert was Georges Bizet’s Agnus Dei which both choirs performed together with outstanding effect, the warm, clear voice of Asslar Soprano Claudia Schonherr joining the Bizet for the solo. The youngest group of the Werdorf Choir family, Allegro, then took the stage with Reiner Genz could be heard receiving much applause with their performances of such sacred music as Snyder's Ubi Caritas et Amor and Ram’s Alta Trinita Beata. In the second half of the concert the choirs dedicated themselves to secular music whereby the Englishmen could once again play trumps. Even if the choice of music was unfamiliar in Germany they captured each of the listeners with each note. A wonderful concert experience. The ladies choir under the direction of Cornelia Schmeerer went on to perform Sabels ‘Autumn Song’ and Weimers ‘A girl goes to the dance’ and then joined with the men's choir to once again show us how well these choirs go together. The Werdorf gentlemen then sang Kempken’s The Hunter, Joedes’ Rosemarie and Mackebens Bell Ami. Allegro followed skillfully with Cy Coleman’s Rhythm of Life and the evening after scarcely three hours with Hugh Roberton’s E’en as a lovely flower.
Thus a German/English evening of music making came to a close.
