Centenary Concert March 2025

In 1925 Sir George Dyson, who was Head of Music at Winchester College, began his ambitious plan to form a choral and orchestral society by expanding the Nightjars Madrigal Society and adding an orchestra to it: thus was born the Winchester Music Club, a feature of musical life in the city since that time. Recently renamed as the Winchester Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra the society gave its centenary concert at Winchester College’s New Hall under the direction of Sarah Baldock, with the appropriate inclusion of music by Dyson.

The Three Songs of Praise reveal Dyson’s ability to compose choral music suitable for amateurs but with appropriate challenges and imaginative brush strokes. The choir responded with enthusiasm and good diction. As they warmed into the first song (Let all the world in every corner sing) there were some patches of slightly rough tonal quality but the stirring quality of Dyson’s music shone through.

Hierusalem, written in 1956 when Dyson was in his early seventies, is a more complex work, presenting challenges for both choir and orchestra (strings, string quartet and harp). This lovely piece deserves to be more well-known, its vison of the celestial city inspiring Dyson to some masterly ideas. Originally composed for the pure voice of Isobel Baillie, Imogen Russell’s soprano soared across the text, bringing a lovely sense of longing to the 16^th century words. The choir responded well to their conductor and the small orchestra had a fine string sound. Congratulation to the Philharmonic for tackling this work and bringing it to life.

In between the two Dyson works came the sumptuous sonority of twelve cellos playing the short Hymnus by the German cellist Julius Klengel. The Winchester College cello students, led with great sensitivity by Nicola Heinrich, made a fabulous, full rich sound. Further string opulence was displayed in the final work of the evening, Fauré’s sublime setting of the Requiem text, with its emphasis on lower string sonorities. The violas and cellos provided an appropriate cushion for the voices and the choir sound benefited from the youthful timbre of the College’s newly-formed Chantry Choir. The two soloists were outstanding: Imogen Russell brought real purity and poise to her Pie Jesu solo while baritone Dominic Sedgwick -a last-minute replacement for an indisposed Marcus Farnsworth – sang with authority and sensitivity, his legato phrasing beautifully moulded to the Libera Me. All credit to the choir and orchestra in this work: lovely violin playing from Liz Peller in the Sanctus and the choir tenors rose to the occasion in the Agnus Dei. An excellent way to celebrate the centenary and well done to Sarah Baldock for her insightful direction.

Duncan Eves