Rejoicing with Ex Cathedra Consort in Birmingham

By Katherine Dixson, 10 December 2012

Loading, please wait...

See full listing

Reviewed at Elgar Concert Hall, Birmingham on 8 December 2012

Anonymous, Hanacpachap cussicuinin

Victoria, Missa, O Magnum Mysterium

Gutiérrez de Padilla, Missa ego flos campi

Fernández, Xicochi

Pascual, Oy es día de cantar!

Zéspedes, Convidando esta la noche

Anonymous, Dulce Jesús mío

Traditional, Somerset Wassail

Bouzignac, Noé, Noé!

Bach, Christmas Oratorio, BWV248: Wie soll ich dich empfangen?

Ex Cathedra Consort

Jeffrey Skidmore, Conductor

Ex Cathedra for Holy Week at St John’s Smith Square

David Truslove, 26th March

A Lenten programme of 17th-century French and Italian sacred music partially fulfilled its dramatic potential in refined, understated performances.

***11

More than just a concert: Ex Cathedra perform Rachmaninov’s Vespers

Simon Cummings, 15th October

Enhanced by bells, Ex Cathedra Jeffrey Skidmore give a low-key but highly dramatic performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers in Birmingham Town Hall

****1

The power of individual voices: Ex Cathedra’s St Matthew Passion

Simon Cummings, 7th April

Bradley Smith, as Evangelist, and a fine cast of soloists drove this Good Friday account of Bach’s St Matthew Passion from Ex Cathedra in Birmingham.

****1

Airborne string players and choral wizardry in aus LICHT Part 3

Jenny Camilleri, 2nd June

In the final instalment of aus LICHT, the Helicopter String Quartet lives up to the publicity hype and choirs perform marvellous feats.

****1

Ex Cathedra for Holy Week at St John’s Smith Square

David Truslove, 26th March

A Lenten programme of 17th-century French and Italian sacred music partially fulfilled its dramatic potential in refined, understated performances.

***11

Inspired juxtapositions: Rachmaninov’s Vespers

Mark Pullinger, 27th September

In performing the Vespers in the acoustically wonderful Milton Court, Jeffrey Skidmore took the imaginative decision to interleaving its movements with solo piano works, played by Steven Osborne. It proved inspirational programming.

****1

More reviews...

Katherine Dixson

Katherine is an enthusiastic choral singer. Becoming chairman of her choir proved the catalyst for writing a memoir into which she crammed musical experiences galore, including her own belated musical education and encounters with professional musicians. Combining music, writing and travel is Katherine’s idea of bliss. Her website is here.