Somerset Chamber Choir’s concert in aid of the Somerset Hospice on Sunday, April 14th, was, as ever, a sell-out. True to form, the choir’s performances were of the highest standard. Under the direction of their musically alert conductor Graham Caldbeck, Vivaldi’s Credo, Bach’s Cantata 140 Wachet auf ruft uns die Stimme and Handel’s Laudate pueri Dominum all received well-disciplined and sensitive readings. Vivaldi’s short but telling work for choir and string orchestra launched the proceedings with great energy and drive, although the more reflective moments were taken into account too. Bach’s mighty opening chorus in Cantata 140 found the choir and orchestra in thrilling form – vigorous, blended and alive to the text. The soloists were excellent and were a huge hit with the audience. Lorna Anderson, soprano, and Jonathan Gunthorpe,baritone, sang together beguilingly in the Bach and in the second half Lorna Anderson held centre stage in the Handel, her breathtakingly virtuosic singing stylishly accompanied by the choir. They were joined in the Bach by a choir tenor, Nicholas Bowditch, who sang his short recitative with resounding passion. Devon Baroque (Director Margaret Faultless) played with verve and a strong sense of style throughout the evening –an exciting up-and-coming ensemble.

At the beginning of the second half Jonathan Gunthorpe gave a subtle and sensitive performance of Bach’s cantata for solo baritone, Ich habe genug, revelling in the work’s beauty and variety and ably partnered by Hilary Stock’s as the important solo oboe.

Perhaps the only complaint about this entire evening’s outstanding performance was its duration - it was all over much too soon. Don’t miss the choir’s summer concert in Wells Cathedral on August 3^rd when they will be performing works by Mozart, Beethoven and Stravinsky. Quality music making such as this on our doorstep simply cannot be ignored.