Choir's dramatic Messiah.

Kay leads Choral to new heights

BRIAN Kay, who conducts this year's Messiah, has a special relationship with the choral society, having been its chorus master.

It was no surprise, then, that the choir responded well to his direction from the podium.

There were, for example, some impressive dynamic effects in He shall purify; and a particularly dramatic rallentando on the chorus All we like sheep.

But it can be taken as read that the Huddersfield Choral Society, steeped in its own tradition though never complacent, will give an excellent account of itself in its annual Messiah. The variable factors are the orchestra and the soloists.

The band this year is the Orchestra of Opera North, which, of course, has much theatrical experience, highly appropriate here, because Messiah, for all its complex theological exegesis, is a work that has quasi-theatrical origins.

The players certainly responded to conductor Kay's colourations - the Pastoral Symphony, for example, was serene, fairly legato and faded almost to a whisper.

The vocal soloists all have operatic experience and this too was evident.

The mezzo soprano Diana Moore was still and intense, as befits the nature of the contralto recitatives and airs; but there was considerable dramatic animation from soprano Lynne Dawson, although last night's performance was probably not the most technically immaculate that this renowned singer has given.

Tenor Andrew Kennedy was very expressive, almost eager to convey the meaning of his words.

But the greatest impact was made by Roderick Williams.

As a baritone, he does not have the rumbling power of some bass singers in airs such Why do the nations.

But he more than made up for this with his tone, diction and the almost imperious way that he surveyed the audience before beginning to sing.

The performance is repeated tonight.