Worthing Philharmonic Choir (choral director, Donovan Brown) performed a most enjoyable, spiritually and musically rewarding concert of choral works dating from the 16th century through to the present day at Goring United Reformed Church. They began with a 1619 setting of Psalm 100 by Heinrich Schütz, an antiphonal work requiring the choir to split into two opposing, but complementary groups and making full use of the splendid acoustics of this building. After a slightly earlier work (1588) from the pen of the Spaniard de Victoria, the first half concluded with several pieces from J. S. Bach, the 250th anniversary of whose death has been commemorated all over the world in 2000. Firstly, we were treated to a super rendition by the talented young soprano Sarah Corp (The Word of God My Treasure Is), which featured a fine flute obbligato by the choir's own Tiffany Hore, ably supported by Leonard Lee (organ).

Donovan Brown then demonstrated his considerable artistry in a rousing rendition of perhaps the most famous and popular organ work of all, the mighty Toccata and Fugue in D-minor. Bach's cantata God So Loved the World featured Sarah Corp once again, with the Bass Recitative and Air sung by John Polwin, currently chairman of the choir. The second half began with the magnificent Totus Tuus composed by Poland's Henryk Górecki. The concert concluded with the popular Fauré Requiem, featuring some wonderful choral sounds and a magical rendition by Sarah Corp of the lovely Pie Jesu. John Polwin demonstrated his sensitivity with Libera Me and the final In Paradisum created a truly peaceful ending to a wonderful evening of music.

Review by Jim Hurdwell

Mark Andrew-James, with Worthing Philharmonic Choir and the Sussex Symphony Orchestra, in rehearsal

The rapt silence which followed the final hushed chord of Verdi's Requiem at the Assembly Hall on Good Friday epitomised the drama and musical eloquence achieved by conductor Mark Andrew-James and some 180 performers for Worthing Philharmonic Choir's millennium presentation of Verdi's masterpiece. For the fourth consecutive year, the choir, trained by Donovan Brown and augmented to more than 100 voices for the occasion, was joined by the acclaimed Sussex Symphony Orchestra and, together, both responded to every nuance demanded by Andrew-James, notably from the dramatic intensity of the Dies Irae and Libera Me, to the sublime Agnus Dei and Lux Aeterna. The four international soloists each sang with flair and conviction in ensemble, Miranda Keys (soprano) excelling in pianissimo passages and mezzo Rebecca De Pont Davies displaying power and sustained artistic singing, notably in the Liber Scriptus.

Christopher Lemmings (tenor) captured all the drama and pathos of the piece in his solos, but it was the young bass Timothy Mirfin who held the attention, using his fine voice to project an authentic Verdi style, displaying polished legato singing and rhythmic security throughout. However, it was the overall drama and musicality of the performance of choir and orchestra achieved under Andrew-James which will probably be the lasting impression of the appreciative audience of some 550 people. Worthing is indeed fortunate to have the 65-year-old Worthing Philharmonic Choir willing and able, as someone said, to put money where their voices are and stage major classical works.

Shane Jones