After an unwanted break of nearly two years, Swansea Bach Choir is back! On Saturday, 13 November we performed Ein Deutsches Requiem by Brahms at All Saints Church, Oystermouth, using the composer’s own version for two pianists.
Although the audience was necessarily restricted in numbers, it was unrestrained in its enthusiasm for our live performance. The audience’s appreciation was equalled by our joy at being allowed to sing again in public and moreover to do so without wearing masks. Our carefully calibrated risk assessment and protocols, for rehearsal and performance, provided as safe an environment as was possible for audience and performers. We recognise the significant additional work undertaken by various members of the committee and others to present this concert; we are grateful to them all. We will take equal care over the arrangements for our next concert, at St Gabriel’s Church, Brynmill, and for as long as circumstances require.
We are extremely grateful to our Musical Director, Greg Hallam, for his enthusiastic and inspirational leadership, to the two pianists, Jeffrey Howard and Rhiannon Pritchard, and the two soloists, Jessica Cale, Soprano, and David Le Prevost, Baritone, for so beautifully portraying Brahms’s music. Although not planned as a commemorative performance, the Requiem was a fitting work to perform on the eve of Remembrance Sunday 2021.
We move on now to rehearse a programme of Christmas music for performance at St Gabriel’s on Sunday, 12 December and to carol singing at Morriston Hospital on the previous day. The choir’s new website (thank you Cate!) provides details of a varied and exciting series of concerts planned for spring and summer 2022. We look forward to singing for you again soon.