On the evening of Saturday, March 16 music lovers from Rye gathered in St Mary’s Church to listen to Tongswood Chamber Choir present a programme of unaccompanied choral pieces written for Lent and Passiontide. The choir is a local one, drawing performers from East Sussex and Kent, and although its stated aim is “to have fun” it clearly aims for a professional standard. The charitable purpose of the event was to raise funds for the Rye, Winchelsea and District Memorial Hospital.
The music ranged from the 16th to the 20th centuries and every piece, from the opening Crucifixus by Antonio Lotti to the concluding double choir Mitten wir im Leben sind of Felix Mendelssohn was a gem, performed with technical assurance and sensitivity by this ambitious choir under its talented conductor, Martin Bruce. The jewel in the crown of the evening was Allegri’s famous Miserere with its high-soaring soprano part.
As well as appreciating the music-making, which was of a high order, the audience clearly warmed to the enthusiastic and informative introductions the conductor gave during the concert. As the church emptied afterwards Ken and Audrey from Broad Oak remarked: “What a delightful evening we’ve had. A highlight for us were the anecdotes and insights that Martin Bruce shared with the audience before each piece.”
Image Credits: kt Bruce .