Past Seasons

"Andrew Padmore coaxed every ounce of tone, at small dynamic, from his singers, especially in the unaccompanied items, Bruckner's Locus Iste and Stainer's God so loved the world. Brahms' How lovely are thy dwellings was sung in German, Mozart's Ave verum was sung in Latin, Faure's Cantique was sung in French and Parry's Jerusalem of course in English! The concert ended with Rutter's The Lord Bless you and keep you, with splendid supportive work from the Amici Ensemble, a big Thank You must go to Andrew Padmore for a splendid evening of entertainment. ."

"Harrogate Choral Society made a very welcome return to the Royal Hall for its performance of Handel's greatest choral work, Messiah, to a large and appreciative audience. This return was most welcome as, for many, this performance forms the start of their Christmas celebrations. From the very start, it was obvious that this was going to be a rather special evening of music. The Overture was very neatly played with neat double dotting and then a crisp and sparkling Allegro ."

"All performers succeeded magnificently in conveying the enormous emotional range of this extraordinary medieval text - from elemental and earthy to lyrical and tender; sometimes bawdy, sometime tragi-comic, sometimes whimsically philosophical, but always compelling."

"This, perhaps the most spectacular of his compositions is vocally and orchestrally difficult and rhythmically challenging, it takes a good choir, orchestra and conductor to really bring it off and all three were present together with some very fine singing and playing from both choir and orchestra.."

"The choir demonstrated again their quality, with sharpness of attack, fullness of tone, and delicacy in the quieter passages. Full marks, in particular, to the semi-chorus for their accompaniment to the baritone solo in the second movement. Stephen Gadd in that solo, and elsewhere, sang out forthrightly with his rich, burnished voice and he was ably partnered by soprano wife Claire Rutter."

"Harrogate Choral Society sang their hearts out throughout the evening. This was a wonderful evening, well sung and accompanied and very well directed by Andrew Padmore."

"Pride of place, though, must go to the chorus. Throughout the work, they must undertake rapid 'costume changes'; they must convey awe and majesty in a monumental opening chorus and then immediately change into confused but aggressive mobsters about to get their hands on Jesus and then, yet again, into reflective mood for the marvellous sequence of chorales in Bach’s incomparable harmonisations - pieces of great power and emotional impact for both performers and listeners alike, clearly the case for the singers at Ripon. They must then convey the spitefulness of the mob baying for Jesu's blood, and this they did most convincingly. The work's final chorale ends in a reflective, yet exalted, mood and the audience's applause reflected their appreciation of a great experience."

"Beethoven's Missa Solemnis is a big sing for any choral society but the combined forces of Harrogate Choral Society and Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir rose to the challenge admirably .... Andrew Padmore, their conductor, had prepared both choirs thoroughly both technically and musically with confident entries and the high tessitura and full sound required for much of the work was achieved well and without loss of tuning or vocal tiring for much of the evening. The attention to the dynamic shaping was impressive with such large forces, maintaining a buoyant tone quality and with the changes in pace mostly secure with clear direction from the conductor. The articulation of the fugal section in the second movement was particularly well observed, rhythmical and clear."

"The singers were most careful about the text: not a nuance was missed, not a marking of Elgar's overlooked. The words and music became one. Majestic passages in For the Fallen were forcefully declaimed and the sorrow in To Women tenderly sketched. And through it all the solo soprano soared and spun her web. The rich orchestral colours were realized by the augmented Amici Ensemble, with unison horns, solo oboe and cello particularly telling."

"Harrogate Choral Society was excellent and very well prepared for this event and the tone throughout was remarkably even. The runs in some of the choruses, 'And he shall purify' as an example, were sung with great confidence and clarity even though the tempos chosen by the conductor were very brisk indeed. On the other hand, the chorus 'And with his stripes we are healed' was taken at a very deliberate tempo and with delicate shading allowing the parts to show through. The Tenor section of the society deserves special mention. Numerically small, the singers gave all they could and successfully maintained a good balance with the sopranos, altos and basses...This performance was indeed a wonderful opener to the Christmas season and we must thank Conductor Andrew Padmore for a sparkling evening of musical entertainment."

"[Dvorak's Te Deum] provides ample opportunity for individual sections of the chorus to be heard unaccompanied by the rest and we could thus appreciate the strength of the Harrogate Society's different voices, not least the tenors. I have never heard them sing so brightly and with such confidence...For the Harrogate choir [Brahms Requiem] was hugely demanding. They were singing almost throughout and had to face the challenge of two long fugal passages, but they succeeded triumphantly. Carefully observing changes in dynamics and tempo, they were also able to communicate German concepts which lie at the heart of the work. While they might have made more of the second consonant in "Tod" (dead), their colouring of the word "selig" (blessed) was memorable, as was their rendering of the steady progression of the flesh towards dissolution."

Harrogate Choral Society gave an imaginatively designed concert of music by two British choral composers, John Rutter and Andrew Carter...The choir sounds were beautiful in [For the Beauty of the Earth], the sopranos particularly soaring in the descant passages with ease of tone. Look at the World written for children's voices was sung in its full choral version but surprisingly without the children's choir. The exchanges between the men and the women were well handled and the a cappella chorus was beautifully in tune...John Rutter's setting of the 'Magnificat' was sung in the second half. Here, the choir sang with confidence from the start and there were some beautiful ensemble moments.

"The choral society were on very good form, the tenors, numerically few deserving a special mention for their accuracy and pleasant, unforced tone... The performance by the choir showed signs of excellent preparation; they were alert, obviously eager to deliver this work and together with the excellent playing of The Manchester Camerata delivered Finzi's composition with a great sense of sensitivity and devotion... Using quite large orchestral forces, Andrew Padmore kept a tight control over both the dynamics and the phrasing, whilst the chorus sang most effectively, well in tune and singing with a warm breadth of tone."

"The chorus were full of vitality, singing with verve and with good enunciation. From the gentler Since by man through the graceful O thou that tellest and the noble And with his stripes to the brilliant For unto us a child is born they sang with passion and meaning. This was largely due to the conductor Andrew Padmore who took a different approach to Handel than most with great care and attention. Each voice was given shape and care in its preparation, the end result being that the choruses had much more relevance to the meaning of the work as a whole."

"[The chorus] rose stoutly to the demands and though one could sense that they were in places strained with some loss of quality in tone, the performance was a resounding success because it was so convincing as musical interpretation...A word of praise finally for the male sections of the choir. While as usual heavily outnumbered by their female colleagues, they sang with strength and confidence. The conductor Andrew Padmore exerted masterly control over the many pages of difficult counterpoint, the long-held notes in Qui Tollis and the tricky changes of tempo in the last section of the Credo...All in all, a memorable performance."

"The programme began with the Anvil Chorus from Il Trovatore by Verdi; its strident melody stirring up the hearts of all and forming an excellent opening number...The next section was a selection of sacred pieces sung by the choral society including both accompanied and unaccompanied works by Pitoni, Puccini, Verdi and Rossini. The diction was clear and precise, the choral balance good. Piano accompaniment was, as usual expertly provided by Beryl Pankhurst...The evening finished with rousing performances, with audience participation of the Pomp and Circumstance March No 1 and Jerusalem bringing this delightful evening to an end."

"The quiet, sombre and prayerful atmosphere of Racine's words, sung from memory and with great warmth, was captured perfectly by the Choral Society with beautifully controlled accompaniment from Beryl Pankhurst, the Accompanist to the Choral Society. There were many examples of fine and musical shading especially from the gentlemen...whilst the ladies also sang with great control and expression. This was a well-prepared and beautifully executed performance...The Choral Society sang with great control and with much feeling from the very outset of the concert with carefully produced tone from the Sopranos and Altos supported equally well by good natural and unforced tone from the Tenors and Basses"

"The Choral Society opened their evening of singing with And the glory which was sung with great enthusiasm and good diction...Throughout the evening there was little sign of tiredness. Even in the taxing choruses such as All we like sheep and For unto us which involve a great deal of vocal dexterity and which were taken at a brisk tempo, the choir sounded fresh and alert...the Choir really gave a splendid display of choral singing in the four powerful choruses which form the central section of Messiah. Surely, All we like sheep and He trusted were taken at a breathless pace but the choir were prepared well by Andrew Padmore and knew what was required of them"

"The conductor Andrew Padmore kept a firm grip on the Handel-bars and, while not applying the brakes unnecessarily, did not permit any free-wheeling. In the second half of the work, in particular, the hammer blows of destruction in Judicabit in nationibus were frighteningly realised and contrasted beautifully with the unsettling harmonies of the water flowing in De torrente in via bibet."

"From the outset, the choir sang with confidence and assured tone and very good enunciation. Andrew Padmore conducted with a superb sense of tempo, never hurrying, allowing the music to breathe naturally...To great applause from the audience, John Rutter was brought forward by Andrew Padmore and showed his obvious delight with the performance of this lovely composition. "

"In the Requiem [the chorus] were on top form. They confidently attacked the fugal passages in the Kyrie and the Hostias. Singing out with energy when required, they were also able to maintain colour and quality when restrained in volume, as in the Salva Me which follows the outbursts of Rex Tremendae...Yet again, Andrew Padmore demonstrated what a good conductor he is, sensitively accompanying Benedetti and drawing fervour as well as precision from his choir...A truly memorable evening"

"...few [people] will have heard a performance quite as magnificent as that given by Harrogate Choral Society and the Manchester Camerata under the meticulously well-prepared baton of Dr Andrew Padmore...Here now was a large choir, balanced between the different voices producing a mature and most vibrant sound; indeed one of the exciting sounds the Choral Society has produced in many years...Handel himself would have been very impressed by this performance of Messiah; so full as it was with both playing and singing of such high quality; a splendidly led orchestra dedicated to providing quality at the highest level together with an exceptionally well-prepared chorus of voices and a superb set of soloists. Many congratulations to all but especially to Andrew Padmore for drawing all the threads together to produce such an amazingly rich performance of this wonderful and enduring masterpiece."

"The Harrogate Choral Society's performance of Elgar's Dream of Gerontius...was a moving and inspiring event...The chorus was in top form throughout the evening, clearly articulating the text, maintaining a bright tone, and coping well with the complex phrasing and eight-part harmonies of the long middle section of the Second Part...I cannot recall having heard before a whistle of approval from an audience at a classical concert in a church, but this was part of the acclamation which greeted the Ripon performance, and it was not altogether unjustified."

"There are some instances in the world of music when occasion, time, venue, performers and public come together to produce something which is more than the sum of its parts; such was the case on Saturday when some the finest of the area’s musicians, orchestral and choral, assembled for a concert In Celebration of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee...For the second half of the concert, we took a step back in time to the splendour of Handel’s ceremonial music. Such an occasion would not be complete without the traditional Last Night of the Proms finale and the orchestra, audience and choir, replete with union flags, and directed by Andrew Padmore, by now sporting a Union Jack waistcoat, gave a rousing Land of Hope and Glory refrain"

" The separately distinctive forces of Harrogate Choral Society, the children's choir, three soloists, a percussion ensemble and two pianists all combined, under the energy-driven impetus provided by conductor Andrew Padmore, to produce a magnificent performance of this [Carmina Burana] unique work. Pride of place, however, went to the adult choir. The tenors and basses were far more effective than for some time and their full-bodied sound in 'Ecce gratum' was most exciting. The sopranos produced a thrillingly vibrant tone throughout and the altos produced a lovely lyrical sound especially in 'Chume, chum' "

"One of the delights of this performance of Messiah was the immaculate attention to detailed phrasing in both the orchestra and chorus...The Choral Society gave excellent performances of the choruses but was particularly good in the choral fugues. The entries were always very confident and the singing very clear and accurate...This was a performance of Handel’s Messiah that deserves much praise, not only for the quality of its musical content, but also for the detailed work done in its preparation. Andrew Padmore, the splendid soloists and all who took part must be complimented for this memorable performance..."

"[Harrogate Choral Society] were admirable in the interjections into the Evangelist's narrative, bringing passion but also precision to their outbursts. The chorales were also sung beautifully, with poise and balance...The Bach Passions need to be satisfying both musically and dramatically. This Harrogate performance succeeded in both respects"

" The choir was...on fine form. The choir's pitch was consistent throughout the evening and the control of sound from the loudest to the softest was sublime...Andrew Padmore's experience brought some splendid singing from the choir. Always lively to watch he guided the instrumental and vocal forces through the evening with certainty and clarity, the choir's thorough preparation being obvious. Unaccompanied choral singing with large forces can be a moment of nervousness for conductor and choir but the several long sections required of the choral forces were a real highlight of the evening, particularly in the longer sections in the Rossini. They were memorable and impressive "

"Yorkshire Voices...gave a rousing concert at Leeds Town Hall...This was a great performance...[the] evening made it clear why there is no substitute for live choral music, especially when delivered by the Harrogate Choral Society, the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir and Andrew Padmore."

"...the choir was in fine voice and dealt well with the complexities of The Music Makers, as it is no easy score and not within the standard repertoire"

"Even though this has now seemed to have become an annual event (December 4th 2010) the energetic and enthusiastic approach of conductor Andrew Padmore, together with his attention to such precise detail, ensured that yet another outstanding triumph took place...Harrogate Choral Society were on top form. The balance between the sections...was well-nigh perfect."

"The opening chorus immediately set the tone for the evening giving the performance a bright start...Laudate pueri saw the choir in full flow bringing the best out of the dance rhythms in the chorus parts while the Nisi Dominus brought out the cross rhythms to great effect, most particularly in the two soprano parts. Of these large scale choruses the eight part Lauda Jerusalem...was...the highlight. It had drive and momentum, excitement and thrilling top notes again from the sopranos and the cross-rhythms in the final Amen brought the movement to a grand climax."

"The qualities of the Harrogate Choral Society, expertly prepared by their conductor Andrew Padmore, were again apparent: their clear articulation, precise entries, control of dynamics and, above all, in their energetic, bright sounds. Even though the tenors and basses may be short in terms of numbers, they sang with confidence and commitment."

"A roaring success...The 135 strong local choir supported by the Manchester Camerata and the trumpet soloist Alison Balsom, presented an evening of music guaranteed to please the most discerning of listener."

"A vibrant performance of the most-loved choral work of all was given to a capacity audience...Although Handel's Messiah needs no introduction to the overwhelming majority of music-lovers, the fresh approach taken by conductor Andrew Padmore ensured a sense of continual engagement."

"Certainly the choir were in good voice and, under the expert direction of Andrew Padmore, exerted their usual fine control over the melodies given to them and to the strong driving rhythms."

"Traditionally Yorkshire is the way I would describe the wonderful combination of brass and voices... Continuing to celebrate their Diamond Jubilee, Harrogate Choral Society joined forces with The Harrogate Band to give a concert of exciting and entertaining music."

"Yes, A Glorious Fanfare indeed, as the nave, and probably other areas also, of Ripon Cathedral reverberated magnificently to the sounds of organ, brass and voices in a concert of mainly English music written mostly in the last 70 years."

"A combination of voices, organ and brass, mainly promoting the 2000-year-old seasonal message, proved to be a real winner...The compère, Marilynne Davies, who was eloquent throughout, encouraged the large audience to think of the event as being “the start of Christmas” and for many it probably would have been. Harrogate Choral Society were in excellent form; their precision and ensemble were such that they frequently sounded like a chamber choir rather than a group of almost 100 singers."

"The first concert to be given by an amateur group in the newly-refurbished Royal Hall was marked by an outstanding performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah. From the sonorous sounds of the opening of the Overture,...,through to the triumphant and glorious final chorus, this was a performance with considerable attention to detail and yet high on drama."

"And what a glorious sound [Yorkshire Voices] made! Rarely can Verdi's terrifying setting of the Dies irae have been unleashed with such force and with such spine tingling ferocity, even in Leeds Town Hall...But it was more than just the volume of sound and refinement of tone that places this new body of singers in the ranks of Yorkshire's finest."

"In their second season under the direction of Andrew Padmore, Harrogate Choral Society brought to Ripon Cathedral a performance of passion, power and panache... The choir were in fine voice and it was clear from the outset that Andrew Padmore has been busy developing a full and forthright tone to the choir."

"Overall, the pace sometimes chosen was quicker than one often hears, but the result was generally to perceive the words in a new light. Andrew Padmore demonstrated that he intended to get exactly what he wanted...Overall, this pre-Christmas concert was both memorable and greatly enjoyable..."

"All credit to Andrew Padmore and the Harrogate Choral Society for providing such a splendid evening. Praise too for the extremely versatile percussionists, Backbeat Percussion Quartet, who displayed great professionalism throughout."

"Throughout their performances, both alone and with Boe, [Harrogate Choral Society's] diction was outstanding and the balance between the sections well-nigh perfect."