Concert of Male Voices in Support of the Poppy Appeal Hailed as Tremendous Success
On Saturday 29th September, the Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir together with special guests, Cwmbrân Male Choir from South Wales and the highly talented tenor soloist, Jason Darnell, held a concert at St. Andrews Church, Swanwick, which was greatly enjoyed by all present in a church filled to capacity. This raised the staggering sum of £1,607.00 for the Poppy Appeal.
The concert had taken a year in planning and involved the Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir hosting the Cwmbrân Male Choir in a long awaited return tour to Derbyshire’, this time augmented by members of the Garndiffaith Gleemen, making it even more special.
The fun started on the Friday evening when members of both choirs met each other in the restaurant adjoining their accommodation at Ripley and inevitably began singing. This was to continue throughout the weekend at every available opportunity.
Cwmbrân Male Choir have travelled extensively throughout the UK, Europe and as far afield as the USA, but also have a long-standing friendship with the Pye Hill & District Male Voice Choir going back to 1986. This concert was the fourth exchange visit between these well-known and successful choirs.
‘It must be the Welsh accent that makes Welsh Male Choirs sound so distinctive and wonderful’, commented one member of the audience, and then went on to say ‘she did not realise also how talented the Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir are’.
The ‘icing on the cake’ for the concert was the four songs performed by Jason Darnell who was universally greeted with rapturous applause after each of his varied performances. Jason is now an international professional tenor and amongst other engagements has sang before the Pope this year and will also be singing at York Minster before Christmas.
Both choirs joined forces to open the concert singing ‘Stout Hearted Men’. This is the signature tune of both choirs and was performed with great gusto and pleasure.
Cwmbrân Male Choir then took centre stage singing ‘Let All Men Sing’, which is greatly enjoyed when performed as well as this accomplished Welsh choir. ‘Calon Lan’ was a song everyone wanted to hear and the masterful rendition was such you did not want it end. ‘My Lord What a Mornin’ was sung with great sensitivity and their rendition of ‘Jesus Paid It All’ reminded everyone present why every seat had been taken.
This was followed by Jason Darnell singing ‘Sweet Chance’ by Michael Head, which held the audience’s attention in such a way that they were eager for what was to follow.
The Pye Hill & District Male Voice Choir opened their account with a rousing but precise rendition of ‘The Song of the Jolly Roger’ followed by the melodious and contrasting ‘Calm is the Sea’.
Jason Darnell’s rendition of ‘Every Valley from the Messiah’ by Handel can only be described as a virtuoso performance of this long and challenging piece.
The Pye Hill & Male Voice Choir completed the first half of the concert with one of their most requested and popular songs ‘Unchained Melody’ and then for the first time ‘Ghost Riders in the Sky’ and was surprised by the immediate reaction and involvement from the audience.
Following the interval, the Pye Hill & District Male Voice Choir provided a powerful but sensitive rendition of ‘Morte Criste’ followed by ‘Softly As I Leave You’.
Jason Darnell’s rendition of ‘Danny Boy’ by Weatherly was proof that the best voices are those which are clear, beautiful and capable of great variation without the need to be focused on volume for effect.
The Pye Hill & District Male Voice Choir completed their set with the evocative ‘American Trilogy’ and ‘When the Saints Go Marching In’ which was universally enjoyed.
Jason Darnell’s final song ‘The Holy City’ by Adams can only be described as a breath-taking masterpiece which captivated the audience.
The Cwmbrân Male Choir completed their set with an absolutely brilliant choice of songs, reminding the audience of the quality this Welsh choir led by thier M.D, Matthew Harrison who had recently been confirmed as the best young MD in South Wales. ‘What Would I Do Without My Music’ was sang with the same freshness of voices as when the concert began. The Welsh classics ‘O Gymru’ and ‘Gwahoddiad’ were greeted like old friends and not wanting their presence to end, such was the quality of performance. The arrangement of ‘Shenandoah’ by contrast was the best that I have ever heard and brought the song alive in a way that makes you cling to every word.
No concert of this nature could be a success without quality accompanists who play such a vital role for all the musical performers. This concert had three of the best in the vastly experienced Rosemary Jones for the Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir, the very talented Lucie Bebbington-Lewis for Cwmbrân Male Choir and the outstanding Stephen Wall for Jason Darnell.
‘I can’t remember a concert which seemed to pass so very fast’ said several members of the audience and the choice of ‘Bring Him Home’ jointly performed by both choirs led by the very accomplished Linda Darnell, M.D. of the Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir could not have been more appreciated and a fitting finale to a wonderful evening.
Both choirs exchanged gifts to mark this prestigious occasion. The Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir was presented with an inscribed brass miner’s lamp and the Cwmbrân Male Choir were presented with a vase decorated with poppies. Both choirs are to receive certificates of achievement from the Royal British Legion who were present with their standard together with several civic dignitaries, including the mayor and consort of Amber Valley.
As you will imagine the end of the concert was only an interruption to the continuation of the singing. Both choirs, family and friends followed on to the Dale Club at Jacksdale, the home of the Pye Hill and District Male Voice Choir, where a buffet was provided and following a well earned drink, or two, the singing continued to midnight including impromptu solos and renditions to add to the fun with Cwmbrân Male Choir finishing the evening by singing ‘There Will Be a Welcome in the Hillside’, which could not have been a more fitting end to a wonderful and enjoyable occasion.
The following day both choirs visited Chatsworth House and Gardens before saying a fond farewell to each other and joined voices for the last time at ‘Floras Temple’ to sing before a delighted Duke of Devonshire. Tan y tro nesaf!
Full details of recruitment, bookings and concert arrangements for the Pye Hill and District Male Voice choir can be found at CITY-SIGHTSEEING or www.pyehillmvc.co.uk
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