The Hastings Philharmonic Choir, Haydn, and the Joy of Song
VICTORIA KINGHAM meets the Hastings Philharmonic Choir.
The interior of Christ Church St Leonards has a subdued beauty, borne perhaps of its relatively inornate interior. Much of the stained glass is early twentieth century, and the comparatively small framed gilded Stations of the Cross, gilded, traditional, installed while the church was constructed, look almost modernist in their angularity and subdued uniform colouring. The church is particularly tall, and the interior upper level with its multiple small arches echoes the design of medieval abbeys like Rievaulx or Fountains.
Fitting then, that the Hastings Philharmonic Choir should be rehearsing a Haydn Mass here in the wonderful acoustic space. I was privileged to watch the director, Marcio Da Silva, in action. Hastings Philharmonic Choir is an 80-voice choir for which there is no official audition, but to sing these masses and oratorios and long orchestral/choral works requires stamina, energy and confidence in sustained singing.
Da Silva works, not by assuming that the choir will sight-read the score and sing, but by singing the phrase to each section of the choir. Not only does he sing the baritone and tenor parts but, in a perfectly tuned falsetto, the alto and soprano parts too. He began his musical career early as a singer, but since 2016, he has also directed and conducted the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra. During the rehearsal, the voicing of the first movement improved massively due to the diligence of the singers, but also the well-tempered enthusiasm of the conductor.
Like most choirs, this one is voluntarily administered by and for its singers, who sing because that is what they love. Founded in 1928, they aim to do four concerts and a carol concert locally each year. Maestro Marcio Da Silva took over their direction in 2012, and in 2016 he also took over the direction of the Hastings Philharmonic Orchestra. Besides Da Silva, the only other paid musician is the piano accompanist, Francis Rayner, an outstanding award-winning, long-established soloist who has been with the choir since 2006. Most of their repertoire is 18th-19th century Romantic, and they rehearse mostly in Christ Church.
A good choral leader will not only conduct time (and this is much more important than most people seem to give it credit for, in fact, of the ultimate importance) but will add voice balance, timbre, style, enunciation, dynamics, expression, musical education – all of that is under the conductor’s control. Further, he or she needs to know how to extract that from their singers. Da Silva – genial, thorough, efficient, brilliant – is rightly admired by all members of his choir, and I can guarantee this concert, Haydn Te Deum and Mozart C Minor Mass, in the beautiful setting, will be an uplifting experience.
Hastings Philharmonic Choir Spring Concert
Saturday 15 April
Christ Church, Silchester Street, St Leonards.
Haydn: Te Deum.
Mozart: Bassoon Concerto (featuring Ben Exell, bassoon).
Mozart: ‘Great’ Mass in C Minor, K427.
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