Those who were lucky enough to attend Angus Choral Society’s Golden Jubilee Concert in the beautiful setting of Brechin Cathedral enjoyed an atmospheric musical evening to remember, writes Rod McMillan.
A celebration of works performed by Angus Choral over the last 50 years gave us everything from Handel’s Zadok the Priest, Bach’s Wachet Auf performed with great skill and sensitivity, to the beautiful but very musically challenging John Rutter’s Magnificat carried off with great energy and delivery by the orchestra, soloist and choir.
There was even a first performance of Nocturne, a specially commissioned work by accompanist and former musical director Brian Hirst, which showed off the great vocal versatility and control that this choir can now achieve.
The quality and musical standard and range of the concert was made even greater by soloist Wilma MacDougall who provided great vocal inspiration to the choir and audience in her excellently delivered Laudate Dominum, by Mozart and Gershwin’s Summertime, as well as performing as soloist in Rutter’s Magnificat.
This choir, under the hugely dedicated energetic and charismatic musical director Mary Veal for the last six years has improved beyond measure in this, her final concert.
She will be greatly missed.
Her faithful orchestra also deserve a special mention.