St. Luke Passion at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Friday 4th April 2014 I attended the Oriole Singers lunchtime Concert Performance of the St Luke Passion (attributed to J S Bach) at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. The Oriole Singers were conducted by Martin Wyatt. The concert also featured pianist Heather Wyatt, flautist Meryl Dempsey and cellist Frank Pond.

This was a fine performance of the St. Luke Passion which included wonderful contributions from Paul Appleby, Pamela Quantrill and Evelyn Crow. This was a fantastic opportunity to hear this rarely performed piece which I greatly enjoyed along with the rest of the enthusiastic audience.

Oriole Singers concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On the afternoon of Friday 5th July 2013 I attended The Oriole Singers Concert Party Celebrating Marriage at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. The Oriole Singers were conducted by Martin Wyatt with accompanist Heather Wyatt.

The programme consisted of Opening Hymn: For the Beauty of the Earth, Sunrise, Sunset from Fiddler on the Roof - Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick, Cello Solo To Marriage - Frank Pond, Reading from The Prophet - Kahlil Gibran, Married from Cabaret - Kander and Ebb, Pipe Solo: An Irish Wedding Jig, Ashokan Farewell - Jay Ungar and Hiawatha's Wedding Feast - Samuel Coleridge Taylor.

The highlight of the concert was Samuel Coleridge Taylor's Hiawatha's Wedding Feast. Based on a poem by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, The Song of Hiawatha is a trilogy of cantatas composed between 1898 and 1900. The first part, Hiawatha's Wedding Feast, was an immediate sensation, making the composer's name throughout the world. The chorus describes in great detail the wedding guests, their dress and food. Hiawatha was a Native American who was Chief of the Iroquois in the Sixteenth Century.

This was a wonderful concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church which was greatly enjoyed by the audience in attendance. The performance began with us joining in with the singing of For the Beauty of the Earth and included a fantastic playing of Jay Ungar's Ashokan Farewell by Meryl Dempsey.

Aspects of Love at St. Peter Mancroft Church

On Friday 15th March 2013 I attended the Aspects of Love concert from The Oriole Singers at St. Peter Mancroft Church, Norwich. This lunchtime concert party featured a choral suite from the operetta by Andrew Lloyd Webber arranged by Francis Shaw. There was a retiring collection for Christian Aid.

The Oriole Singers were conducted by Martin Wyatt with Accompanist Heather Wyatt. Beverley McInnes was guest soloist at this wonderful Friday lunchtime concert. The programme consisted of In the still and the peace of the moment - Martin Wyatt, Ode to the Five Senses - Martin Wyatt, Love is the sweetest thing - Ray Noble, Foggy foggy dew - Trad, arranged by Britten, Will she wait up for me? - T Sterndale Bennett, Happy Talk - Rodgers and Hammerstein, Reading from the 4th Century Greek Prelate Eusebius, Excerpt from Cello Suite No.3 - Britten and Vocal Selection from Aspects of Love - Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Aspects of Love tells the dramatic story of a young man's enchantment with an actress. The songs sang gave hints at the different phases of love. Infatuation, lust, joy and sorrow that this overwhelming emotion entails. Love changes everything, Flirtation - Mermaid Song, Courtship - The first man you remember, Elopement - Seeing is believing, Bliss - Chanson d'enfance, Cautionary tale - There is more to love, Gentlemanly rivals defer to each other - She'd be better off with you, Nostalgia - Other pleasures can't compare with you, Desolation - Anything but lonely and Summary - Love changes everything.

This was a fun and enjoyable concert at St. Peter Mancroft Church which proved to be the best place to spend Friday lunchtime as we experienced a wonderful programme of music. In the still and the peace of the moment be still and at peace with God.