Concert’ina, 7th October 2017

Oxfordshire Mind were the beneficiaries from the retiring collection of this concert which raised £691.00

On Saturday October 7, the Salisbury Community Choir held a concert in Oxford.  The title, Concert’ina, suggested something rather exotic.  The programme included a main work, The Misa Tango by Palmeri, and other short pieces.

In the classical and imposing splendour of the Sheldonian Theatre the stage was set up regularly for a large choir and in front of it a few chairs surrounding the rostrum.  As the members of the choir took their places quietly and elegantly we were about to embark on an amazing journey. I knew what was coming, or so I thought, as I had joined the choir only a few weeks beforehand and had been given the  chance to join in the rehearsals for the Misa Tango.

Straight into the Kyrie with its punching rhythms, the mass began.  And then, surprisingly, the other pieces in the programme were performed in between the sections of the mass.  This unusual intertwining seemed a little odd at first, but it worked. Even after distracting us with the ever popular Begin the Beguine and Guantanamera, the choir were amazing at returning us to the mood of the mass. The powerful syncopations were beautifully executed as were the slow and soft harmonies of the final stages of the work. 

Accompanying the choir were a quintet of stringed instruments, a piano and the essential bandoneon. They too entertained us with evocative interludes and played with such verve that it was difficult to resist tapping your feet.  To complete the character of the evening, a couple in sparkling costumes appeared from the side of the stage and performed passionate tangos enchanting us with their moves to those compelling rhythms. This combination of choral singing, instrumental music and dance worked extremely well. 

It was a truly magical evening.

Rosetta