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| Special Guests Soprano Beth Yates Countertenor Owen Ravden |
Saint Cecilia's Day each year is a time to honour the patron of sacred music with major recitals of baroque masterpieces in a church setting. This year Andrew Daldorph and his East Devon Choral Society were at St Peter's Church in Tiverton to perform music by two great renaissance composers from Italy and Germany, Antonio Vivaldi and Georg Friderick Handel. They were joined by a small orchestra led by a very special guest visiting from Dumfriesshire, Fiona McLean Buechel.
The concert opened with the "Gloria in Excelsis Deo" (Glory to God in the Highest). Fiona led the orchestra in the introduction with her usual impeccable style. The opening "Gloria!" from the choir was powerful and appropriately full of passion. Under Andrew's skilled supervision a hundred voices rang out in perfect unison.
The choir has grown impressively in size with thirty sopranos and an even greater number of altos. Tenors and basses are more at a premium but held their own magnificently, with even the quietest passages perfectly balanced.
Among the choir were four very special guests. The sopranos welcomed soloists Rebecca Yates and her daughter Beth Yates, while the altos were joined by the spectacular countertenor Owen Ravden, and Nicholas Yates joined the tenors.
Every part of the Gloria was a delight and inspiration with some very memorable highlights. After the opening "Glory be to God in the Highest" ("and on Earth peace to men of good will") the orchestra introduced Rebecca and Beth singing the "Laudamus Te" (We Praise You).
Later there was an incredibly beautiful introduction and accompaniment to the "Domine Deus, Rex Coelestis" (Lord God, King of Heaven) by oboist Andrew Marlies with delicate pizzicato continuo from 'cellists Holly Molineux and Tirke Linnemann and double bass player Graham Tuck.
This was the opportunity for Beth Yates' voice to take centre stage. Beth is a Durham University modern languages scholar and, more recently, prize winner with her own choir the Phoenix Consort. Her singing was delicate and emotional, perfectly complementing Andrew's sensitive oboe playing.
The next revelation was fellow Durham graduate, and now Guildhall performance scholar, Owen Ravden, singing the "Domine Deus, Agnus Dei" (Lord God, Lamb of God) with exemplary control and feeling. Colin Pettet accompanied him on the chamber organ with the whole choir gently interjecting "Qui tollis peccata mundi" (Who takes away the sins of World).
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| Trumpet: Eloise Yates |
The Gloria is in twelve sections, each of which was beautifully performed by the choir, building a feeling of tranquility and awe. A performance to remember.
Before the interval there was just time for one of the orchestra's trumpeters, Eloise Yates, to step up to perform a sensational trumpet concerto by Vivaldi's contemporary Giuseppe Torelli. Despite being in Devon for only a short time on this visit, Fiona had the orchestra perfectly prepared for Eloise's performance and Eloise herself played magnificently.
After the interval the rousing music continued with Georg Friderick Handel's most familiar Coronation Anthem, recently heard at the coronation of King Charles III. Even without reference to the programme notes the opening sinfonia was unmistakable and the triumphant roar of "Zadok the Priest" a joyous fulfilment joined by the percussive thunder of Sally Basker's tympani.
Soprano Special Guest: Beth Yates
Oboe: Andrew Marlies
Orchestra Leader: Fiona McLean Buechel
There followed three more of Handel's anthems, written for the coronation of George II in 1827. Each was a perfect addition to the evening's entertainment, sweetly enunciated and showing off the superb power of the choir's collective voices. There were also opportunities to hear Rebecca, Beth and Owen singing selected parts from their places in the choir. Also standing among the male singers were two tenor soloists, Alex Scott and Rebecca's husband Nicholas Yates, each contributing their own part to the excellent whole.
East Devon Choral Society has been in existence for fifty three years and is still as strong and impressive as ever. Every voice is heavenly and the entire force perfectly coordinated by their Musical Director, Andrew Daldorph. Tonight's concert at St Peter's Church was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and also a prime example of all that the choir represents: splendid music splendidly performed.
All this is achieved with only one rehearsal per week. Anyone interested in finding out more about the choir - and perhaps thinking about joining - can join the rehearsals at Moorhayes Community Centre on Monday evenings. Rehearsals for the next concert begin on the second Monday of the New Year - 2 January 2026.
And that next concert will be a celebration of modern English music, featuring the compositions of Sir Edward Elgar ('The Music Makers'), Ralph Vaughan Williams ('Five Mystical Songs'), Hubert Parry ("I was glad") and a very special arrangement of the canticle "Magníficat ánima mea Dóminum" ("My Soul doth Magnify the Lord") composed by Andrew Daldorph himself.
Many thanks to founder member and Vice-Chairman of the choir, Sue North, and her husband Victor North for publicising tonight's and every other concert by the East Devon Choral Society. Long may this very special Devonian tradition continue!
Choir and Orchestra stand to receive tumultuous applause.
Musical Director Andrew Daldorph is flanked by
Orchestra Leader Fiona McLean Buechel
and 'Cellist Tirke Linnemann
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