Bath Internation Music Festival, Bath Abbey Diamond Jubilee Concert, 5th June, 2012
Bath Internation Music Festival, Bath Abbey Diamond Jubilee Concert, 5th June, 2012
Stravinsky's "Les Noces" Bath Festival Bath Abbey 1st June, 2011
Bath Camerata/Ensemble Bash/Masson
Rian Evans: Guardian
Rotary Club Carol Service
Bath Abbey 14th December 2010
"I wanted thank all of you, on behalf of the Bath Chronicle for whom we organise this annual carol service, for giving such a fabulous performance at the Abbey last week.
London Philharmonic Orchestra: Bath Forum 20th November 2010
"Bath Camerata, now in their 26th year under the direction of founder Nigel Perrin, joined the orchestra for Mozart's Ave verum corpus. This short, excellent example of the composer's later works was sung with great expression by the choir, conveying the religious text in a venue which does not readily lend itself to traditional church music".
Bath Camerata perform with the City of Bath Bach Choir and Wells Cathedral School Brass at Bath Abbey November 6th 2010
The apocalyptic scenes of Handel's Israel in Egypt were presented with delightful economy of means at the Roman Baths as part of the Bath Festival. Rating ****
Bath Abbey 15th February 2010
Mozart Requiem: The Forum, Bath
Bath Festival: Harrison Birtwistle, Bath Abbey Monday 1st June 2009
Messiah St. Mary's Church Tetbury
In over 40 years of concert and theatregoing in London, Kent and latterly in Gloucestershire I have heard many performances of Handel's choral master piece, this was one of the few that met all the criteria for a memorable performance for it excelled in all those inextricably linked departments - conductor, choir, orchestra and soloists were all at the top of their form on the same night. The lovely nave of St Mary's Church, illuminated by those two gigantic chandeliers, complemented the performers.
Bath Camerata, Prior Park Chapel, Bath
"a pleasure to hear them on one of their relatively rare
appearances in their own back yard, performing an unusual 20th century work
in this sumptuous setting with its crystal-clear acoustic. "
This choir has a poise and self-assurance that comes from knowing the members can sing and from confidence in their director, always stimulating and challenging, never afraid to try something different - and bring it off. The opening Responsory with its antiphonal effect took us off to a gravely traditional start before moving on to a sumptuous Bruckner motet full of rich harmonies, which contrasted perfectly with the two Bach pieces that followed, equally rich but in a quite different way
Wells Cathedral has hosted Bath Camerata's Good Friday concert for many years, but few could have been as telling or emotionally charged as their latest offering. A packed cathedral sat enthralled as the choir performed a demanding programme with panache.
The Diamond Jubilee Concert
Bath International Music Festival: Bath Camerata and I Fagiolini
Bath Camerata, I Fagiolini, The English Cornett and Sackbut Ensemble and the City Musick
05th June, 2012
The phrase magnum opus might have been coined to describe the two major works which completely filled the Abbey. Striggio's recently rediscovered Missa Ecco si beato giomo in 40 parts rising to 60 in the final Agnus Dei and Tallis' response, Spem in alium, also in 40 parts.
Preceded by a 40 part motet, Ecce beatem lucem, the Mass is music on the grand scale, and the abbey acoustic was on it's best behaviour. The effect was one of total immersion as the music reaches the ears antiphonally, amplified by complex instrumental writing to augment the multi-layered choral sound, giving it a a percussive intensity. If occasionally the period brass instruments tended to dominate, blurring the words, this was a small price to pay for the overwhelming sound reaching us from every part of the abbey. And the quality of the voices and instruments combined was utterly compelling, directed from the middle of the nave by Robert Hollingworth, surrounded, as it seemed, by musicians everywhere.
The Tallis, preceded by a robust male voice plainchant, is more completely integrated, less percussive and of course, more familiar. Tallis brings a warm legato to his rich polyphony, in contrast to the Striggio and with a smaller instrumental presence, this well nigh flawless performance, was, quite simply, heavenly.
And we had miniature palette-cleansers, as BBC Radio 3's Martin Handley described them. A tranquil Canzon for organ by Merulo played by David Robiou, an arrangement by Bassano on a theme by Palestrina and a delicious motet, O dulcissima by Viadana, soulful and pleading, for mezzo Clare Wilkinson, lute and organ.
And to finish, a quite extraordinary setting by Gabrieli of the Magnificat, arranged by Hugh Keyte with the refrain sicut locutus est, written perhaps for 20 or 28 parts? A setting of triumphant life and harmonic complexity which was absolutely breathtaking. A serene vocal sextet encore sent us out into Abbey Church Yard, wondering if Heaven might actually be like this.
Peter Lloyd Williams - Bath Evening Chronicle.