Truly Scrumptious

A Review of Come and Sing Vivaldi's "Gloria", part of the Music On the Ladder series, St Paul’s Harringay.

Just before attending this concert, I half watched a mundane early evening quiz show. I didn’t catch the question, but the answer was ‘Truly Scrumptious’. Now, if I had been asked that question, I would have given the same answer, but it would have been in relation to tonight’s performance.

Here’s the idea. Stick 20 disparate singers together in a rehearsal room for a few hours and afterwards get them to give a public performance of an iconic choral piece. Sounds impossible? Well, not if you are David Went, a conductor who apparently does this sort of thing in the same way Gareth Malone does.

My last month’s review of Anthony Harbottle’s excellent recital mentioned St Paul’s hard acoustics. And, though I’d made a point of sitting at the front this time, I still doubted the effectiveness of a choir in such surroundings. I need not have worried.

From the first G in Gloria, the choir’s singing wrapped the audience in warm suede overcoat of harmony. And while the acoustics might not always suit a tenor, soloists Sonya Prentice, Susanne Teufel, Hannah Leonard and Erica Jane Soulsby had no such problems. Like the choir, they were excellent. This was easily the best of the Music on the Ladder concerts thus far. But, what befuddles me is why this seriously stunning venue was not packed.

I am famously not a church-goer (despite my best friend being a priest), but I like and I respect Father Phillip and his team of very hard working volunteers. They are doing their best to put together a programme that would not look out of place in Wigmore Hall - and for a fraction of the cost. They need our support.

St Paul’s is within everyone’s walking distance and has a capacity of over 100. These concerts start and finish at a very civilised time on a Saturday evening. Afterwards, one can chat to some seriously nice people over a (free) glass (or three) of wine. Why trundle up to Central London, when concerts like this are on our doorstep? Look out for the next ‘Music on The Ladder’ event - and make sure you are there, because I certainly shall be!