As the rehearsal progressed, we were coaxed and encouraged through the pieces at a pace that certainly required concentration but never felt overwhelming, not least thanks to the patience and talent of Jamal. There was plenty of opportunity to chat with like-minded musical folk during the well-spaced (and well-catered!) breaks.

The day culminated in a short concert where we demonstrated to a small, but perfectly formed audience what we had achieved in our day of rehearsal. The whole experience was a joy from beginning to end and I relished the opportunity to explore music I had not previously sung, in the company of lovely people, led by an amazing talent. More please!"

-- Anne

A concert mounted by the Southern Voices chamber choir was suffused with history. It took place in the 12th-century Chapel of St Cross, included choral works from the early 16th century to the present day, featured solo lute music of the Renaissance and celebrated the 40th anniversary of the choir’s formation in Winchester. A packed church witnessed stylish, well-prepared a cappella singing from voices divided mainly between five and eight parts. This meant that with just over thirty regular choir members there would always be the risk of individual voices being exposed or over-prominent. But here the blend and balance were remarkably assured. Part 2 began with the choir surrounding its audience in Gorecki’s ‘Totus tuus’ of 1987 with a thrillingly confident full entry. It was perhaps in the modern repertoire where the voices best demonstrated a full dynamic range, rhythmic vigour and secure tuning of cluster chords.

The latter included Eric Whitacre’s atmospheric ‘Sainte-Chapelle’ in six parts and a brilliantly scored eight-part ‘Splendid Jewel’ by another American composer, Stephen Paulus. Variety of textures and use of one solo voice coloured this beautiful Marian motet expertly and convincingly delivered by the choir. Sacred pieces by Tallis and Byrd were joined by the seven-voice ‘Ego flos campi’ by early 16th century Clemens non Papa and throughout, long sinuous lines were sustained by the singers assisted by the calm but clear direction of conductor Jamal Sutton.

This anniversary celebration concluded by drawing together additional friends and choir alumni to create an almost 80-strong body of singers, again surrounding the listeners, for Tallis’s awesome 40-part motet ‘Spem in alium’. Being in the midst of a wall of ‘wrap-around’ sound is a special treat for an audience and this performance did not disappoint. Confident voices were enhanced by the famous acoustic of this place and Southern Voices are to be congratulated for organizing such a logistical challenge!

By dramatic contrast the intimacy of Pat Glynn’s delicate and authentic lute-playing demanded - and gained - the rapt attention of the capacity audience whilst transporting it to a bygone age.

-- Derek Beck

In 1984, Southern Voices gave its first concert. Now, 40 years on, we're celebrating our ruby anniversary with some exciting events and concerts.  

Today, you can find all the details and buy tickets on our SV40 homepage. 

Tickets are already selling fast for our first concert when we will welcome back alumni to sing Thomas Tallis's glorious 40-part motet, Spem in alium. 

We hope you are able to come and celebrate with us!
 

Christmas with Southern Voices

Southern Voices success in Stockbridge

Southern Voices chamber choir presented “Music for a Summer’s Evening” at St Peter’s Church in the quintessentially picturesque village of Stockbridge. The programme was comprised entirely of English language songs, some sung unaccompanied with others accompanied by the accomplished pianist, Nick Salwey and double bassist, Alastair Hume.

The music created an idyllic atmosphere for a summer evening with Madrigals and Part songs. The choir displayed their wide range of technical skills on polyphonic harmonies which they blended and balanced both skilfully and beautifully. The most intriguing part of the programme was two different sets of Madrigals: one that was originally written in the C15th-16 th while the other one entitled “Little Jazz Madrigals” was written in 2022 by Bob Chilcott. The latter enabled the choir to demonstrate a jazzy rhythmic groove and syncopation that was extremely captivating. The programme was thus a medley of both old and new music that was somehow connected, bringing to the large audience a warm feeling and smiles.

In addition, there were informative introductions about each piece given by the conductor, Jamal Sutton, while Alastair told some engaging anecdotal stories about the composers. This all added to the wonderfully friendly atmosphere of the evening's performances.

I would strongly recommend attending the next Southern Voices concerts. The first of these, called “Music for Remembrancetide” will be on Saturday 11 the November at St Paul’s Church, Winchester, while the second, entitled “Christmas with Southern Voices” will take place on Saturday 16 th December at the Chapel of St Cross, Winchester. Details at www.southernvoices.co.uk

                Nao Dickson

The glorious architecture of the chapel of St Cross provided a wonderful backdrop to an enjoyable evening of music provided by Southern Voices under their conductor, Jamal Sutton, offering the choir the opportunity to exploit the acoustic to the full. The choral music of Josef Rheinbergerwas represented by his Mass for Double Choir ‘Cantus Missae’ and by his ‘Abendlied’. This ‘Evening Hymn’ began the concert and displayed the blended tone and full sound of Southern Voices. The Mass setting was split across the two halves of the concert and so, in the first half, we heard the ‘Kyrie’ and the ‘Gloria’, the former with its long, flowing lines and the latter sung with a rhythmic joyfulness. It is not difficult to hear the influence of Bach and Brahms in these movements, while in the second half of the concert, Jamal Sutton highlighted the spatial effect of the double choir by spreading the singers on either side of the nave. This proved to be most effective and really allowed one to hear the antiphonal writing, with some fine singing and good dynamic control.

The double choir effect was also heard in the first of the Brahms’ motets ‘Ich aber bin elend’, while the chorale-style of ‘Ach, arme Welt’ was beautifully controlled. Fine singing was also in evidence in the ‘Geistliches Lied’ and here Brahms’ expansive ‘Amen’ was just glorious. The four Bruckner motets gave the choir the opportunity to show their dynamic range – a notable feature of these short works - and to exploit the acoustic, allowing the sound to reverberate around the stonework. ‘Locus iste’ and ‘Os justi’ were perfectly paced and sung but I would have preferred a slightly more spacious tempo for ‘Christus factus est’. There was, however, no denying the gorgeous effect of the final bars of ‘Ave Maria’, bringing the evening to a satisfying close.

Sadly, the programme notes failed to mention the two organ works (Rheinberger and Mendelssohn) played with such virtuosity by George Castle. He really showed off the colours of the St Cross organ and built the Rheinberger ‘Passacaglia’ to a superb and imposing climax. In amongst all the a cappella singing, the tonal variety achieved by George in these two nineteenth-century works made an excellent contrast.

Duncan Eves