Saturday 12 July 2008
St Paul's Church, Augustus Road, Wimbledon Park
Summer Concert
Thames Philharmonic Choir

Just a week after this year’s thrilling Wimbledon tennis final, the Thames Philharmonic Choir gave their annual summer concert at the nearby St Paul’s Wimbledon Park. The evening’s music echoed the capricious Wimbledon weather as it unfolded, with the somewhat grey and sombre tones of Vaughan William’s Te Deum at the start giving way to the sparkling sunshine of lively Songs from the Shows that concluded the programme. In between, a customary selection of opera choruses heralded the change of air, with some magnificent supporting solos delivered by the outstanding young tenor, David Newman. Fresh from his role in ENO’s current production of Der Rosenkavalier, Newman’s star quality left him the undisputed champion and darling of the audience.

Celebrating the 50th Anniversary year of the composer’s death, the undulating, zephyric lines of Vaughan Williams’ music were particularly suited to the reverberant acoustics of St Paul’s. Another of his works represented in this concert, Five English Folk Songs, was full of atmosphere and evocatively shaped, as was David Newman’s heartfelt rendition of two of the Songs of Travel - an appropriate and poignant tribute to this most English of composers.

A mixture of familiar and less familiar opera highlights showcased the Choir’s versatility and conductor John Bate’s genius in extracting an impressive range of contrasting tone colours and subtly balanced textures from his tightly disciplined forces. Supporting soloist David Newman’s performance of Verdi’s La donna è mobile was an unforgettable experience. Already seduced by his impassioned rendition of Puccini’s Recondita armonia from Tosca, with masterful comic timing, Newman plunged into his doting audience, flirting with impunity, in a sensational tour de force that brought the house down.

The final group of Songs from the shows was something of an unusual departure for the Thames Phil Choir, but these colourful, and often very tricky arrangements were executed with aplomb. Subtle rhythms and warm, exquisite harmonies wafted back and forth with faultless ensemble. An engaging sense of ease and freshness was maintained right to the end of a lengthy and demanding programme.

The indomitable Roger Beeson provided fluent piano accompaniments throughout the evening, with his own terrific arrangement of Kurt Weill’s September Song providing choir and soloist with a fitting encore for what turned out to be an invigorating balmy summer evening.

Kevin Jones, 15 July 2008