Conducted by Graham Jones, Chichester concerts from 1999 to the present day have been Elgar’s Gerontius, Verdi’s Requiem, Mozart’s Requiem, Duruflé’s Requiem, Puccini’s Messa di Gloria, Rutter’s Magnificat, Berlioz’s Te Deum, Rutter’s Mass of the Children, Dvorak’s Mass in D and, in 2008, Poulenc’s Gloria and Ledger’s Requiem (Thanksgiving for Life).

Robin Gregory reviews the 2008 concert below: 

'Chichester’s rich musical heritage demands the very best from visiting musicians; and on Saturday 3 May there was no disappointment. The Eastbourne Symphony Orchestra was in fine fettle, and with three choirs and two distinguished soloists, conductor Graham Jones was able to demonstrate just how far his music-making has come in the twenty-eight years he has been in charge.

The ESO Chorus was joined by Eastbourne College Choral Society and Junior King’s School Canterbury Choir in a generous array of choral music, including one première. The National Anthem was given in Britten’s superb setting: an opportunity for strings, brass and choirs to demonstrate that they meant business. Philip Ledger’s brand new Requiem received its first full orchestral performance, and Poulenc’s Gloria from 1959 added Gallic charm.

Ledger is a Bexhill lad who has done well, reaching the dizzy heights of Organist and Director of Music at King’s College, Cambridge, and Principal of the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama. His Requiem (A Thanksgiving for Life) was immediately accessible, full of tunes, expertly scored, almost hummable at times. It cannot fail to become a regular part of British musical life. Much use was made of harp and flute (both superbly played), and the soloists (Patricia Rozario and Mark Le Brocq) did full justice to the liquid music they were given. The Thanksgiving Hymn, which formed the centrepiece in the five movements, used words by Thomas Traherne and was, for my taste, too simplistic to stand in so otherwise-perfect work; but I’m sure I was in a very small minority. Orchestra and choirs were great advocates for this valuable repertoire.

 Poulenc is far more difficult to bring off, and occasionally the rhythmic impetus was missed; but, nonetheless, the large forces showed us why this composer is so popular with discerning listeners. Patricia Rozario floated her magical descending and ascending melodies with tonal beauty and expert control.

As if all that was not enough, the orchestra gave Wagner’s Mastersingers Overture a well-paced account: necessary because the jokes which are to come are lengthily Germanic. The ravishing Walk to the Paradise Garden (Delius) was so good I thought I’d strayed into a Hallé concert with Barbirolli again.

Finally, the soloists produced two operatic favourites. Patricia’s creamy soprano was occasionally overshadowed by the huge ‘congregation’ in Mascagni’s ‘Cav’ Italian church but, nonetheless, we knew we were listening to a very special singer. Mark Le Brocq’s is a high, bright tenor capable of great beauty in Finzi’s Dies Natalis from which we heard an excerpt. (I long to hear him do the full work.) The orchestral strings were heard to great effect here. In the Flower Song from Carmen, introduced by some fine cor anglais playing, Mark achieved the rare feat of combining beauty with passion, ending (as Bizet requested, but seldom gets) on a high pianissimo. What a way to finish a wonderful evening.'

For a look back at College Choral Concerts since 1876 please click here

For a list of Chapel Services please click here