Successful night of Bach music          

 ROSEMARY PETTITT reviews Otley and Ilkley Choral Soceties and the Yorkshire Chamber Ensemble, at OtleyParishChurch.

 THE church resounded to the music of J S Bach in a concert given by the choral societies and the ensemble. Led by their conductor Alan Horsey, the participants almost outnumbered the audience. The cantata 'Ein Feste Burg' began the concert, the audience having been asked to sing the chorale melody on which the work is based. The quartet of soloists Janet Fischer soprano, Rachel Gilmore mezzo, Alexander Wall tenor and Mark Ashmore bass were all young singers from the RNCM who, after a slightly nervous beginning, the opening duet being rather rushed, settled down well in their respective roles.

The soprano Janet Fischer's voluptuous voice filled the church, displaying masterly control of the melismatic lines.

The tenor Alexander Wall and the bass Mark Ashmore had a good clear tone but occasionally were stretched in their top registers. The duet for tenor and mezzo was well judged with excellent obligato playing from violin and Cor Anglais. Showing the other side of Bach, the church musician, the Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, with its now famous Air on a G string, was beautifully played by the ensemble with an excellent balance within the group.

The choir at last came to the fore in the exhilarating 'Magnificat'. They dealt well with the difficult openings, for example in 'Omnes Generationes" and the triplets of 'Gloria Patri'. Particularly beautiful was the mezzo solo singing by Rachel Gilmore, whose delivery was expressive and sensitive to the words. Overall this was a very successful evening and one which would have delighted Bach enthusiasts in particular. The next concert will be Handel's Messiah on December 9, at St Margaret's Ilkley.