Huddersfield Choral Society
TITLE: Symphony No 1 the Gothic by Havergal Brian
VENUE: Albert Hall
IF you didn’t know anything about music and cared less then you would still have had a fascinating two hours at the Albert Hall.
Six adult choirs – one of them Huddersfield Choral Society – boy and girl choirs, two orchestras, two extra brass and symphony, either side of the auditorium.
Not to mention four soloists who joined the proceedings after the first three movements which were purely orchestral and could have made a very satisfactory symphony by themselves.
Then the choirs and soloists sang Te Deum which formed the last three movements.
The only word to describe them is amazing, obviously fiendishly difficult, very dramatic with huge climaxes, sudden silences, shimmering chorus singing and ending with enough huge sound that one feared for the roof of the Albert Hall.
I and the audience enjoyed it immensely with a huge and long standing ovation for all who took part – particularly for conductor Martyn Brabbins.
How he guided all the separate music makers was a miracle in itself.
A thoroughly enjoyable experience, never to be forgotten.
