REVIEW: Grange Choral Society, An Evening of French Music, Christchurch Priory
Christchurch Priory was filled with the beautiful sound of French music on Saturday evening in a celebration of the recent re-opening of Notre Dame de Paris following the devastating fire in 2019.
It was a stunning two hours in the company of the ever magnificent Grange Choral Society, Director of Music (of the society and the Priory), Simon Earl and organists Christopher Dowie and David Beeby.
The music of Gabriel Faure, Saint-Saens, Franck, Durufle, Vierne and Widor featured in an inspiring and by turns tranquil, peaceful, emotional and dramatic programme of religious classics including the Cantique, Ave Verum, Panis Angelicus, Ave Maria and Messe Solennelle.
It instantly transported me back to the Latin Mass of my Roman Catholic upbringing - not least the Kyrie, Sanctus, Benedictus, Agnus Dei and Gloria.
There is no better venue than the historic Priory for music such as this to showcase the wonderful talent of the Grange members individually and together.
The presence of two organists was a valiant attempt to recreate the feel of the great Gothic cathedrals with organs at both ends.
With a rigged up electronic keyboard just to the right of the altar linked to a computer, in tandem with the Priory's own magnificent organ, to the untrained ear, David and Christopher pulled it off.
Maestro Simon wryly told the audience: 'It's not quite the same but you get some idea.'
He said the evening was a tribute to wonderful work of restoring Notre Dame. 'We are trying to portray that in music.'
Without question that endeavour was a huge success.
As always happens on these balmy evenings, the setting sun streaming through the upper windows of the Priory added to the somewhat ethereal majesty of the occasion and seemed to symbolise of the inspirational rebirth of Notre Dame.
But then I was probably overthinking it.
Andy Martin
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