The Ryesingers gave an evening of German choral works last Saturday under the baton of the group’s musical director Lesley Brownbill. Starting with Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus (Hail the True Body) there followed Bach’s Schafe konnen sicher weiden (Sheep May Safely Graze) and then Bach’s Cantata 147. These gave the three soloists - Anne Whiteman, Andrew J Daniels and Carole Osborne - the opportunity to shine, along with the rest of the singers.
Richard Eldrige, who had accompanied these pieces on the piano, then moved to the organ and gave a very stirring performance of Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D minor, filling the church and raising the roof.
After a short interval, Mozart’s Requiem gave the four soloists - Rhiannon Chillingworth, Anne Whiteman, Andrew J Daniels and Jonathan Breeds - their moment. This beautiful work was unfinished at the composer’s death in 1791, but completed by Franz Xaver Sussmayr in the following year for Count Franz von Walsegg, who had anonymously commissioned the piece for a Requiem Mass to commemorate the February 14 anniversary of his wife's death.
The Ryesingers will be performing a Water Music! concert in St Mary’s on 11th October to raise funds for the Friends of St Mary’s. In addition, they traditionally perform a carol service at St Mary’s, East Guldeford, this year on 21st December.
