Brian Butler finds many delights in next weekend’s Brighton Early Music Festival
Brian Butler finds many delights in next weekend’s Brighton Early Music Festival
Music from the 12th to the 16th centuries culminating in the ultimate polyphonic work, Tallis’s 40-part motet Spem in alium this large gathering of voice had some gentle choreography added to explore the roots of polyphony in ancient chant melodies.
THERE’S a lot of competition within the city on the first weekend of Brighton Festival, but it was a full house at St Bartholomew’s church for the second night of Back to the Bond Age performed by the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus. The James Bond theme was carried through the evening with songs and links performed by the choir along with other favourites. It has to be said that the acoustics in St Bart’s must have been very difficult to work with, balancing choir, accompaniment and echo. From my seat in the third row, it was at times difficult to hear the lyrics, but when the choir were able to let rip, the sound filled the cavernous nave beautifully.
Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus will be bringing their new show ‘Back To The Bond Age’ to the Brighton Fringe Festival at the beginning of May. Back To The Bond Age is the first show the Chorus will be performing in this, their 10th Anniversary year. “Guns! Gags! Gizmos! Be shaken, stirred and seduced by the heady cocktail that is the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus as they go back to the Bond Age. When an evil despot sets out to snatch our scoring secrets and crack the code of CAMP, our heroes take on all comers. And, after all, nobody does it better…!”
