This year’s Christmas concert of the Sidmouth Choral Society was a splendidly uplifting affair.

But it started somewhat dramatically as the performers stole into the church in the gloom (a power failure!) and were preparing to sing when it seemed that someone said ‘let there be light and there was light’ (power restored or Genesis 1:3!).

The performers then launched into the main item of the programme, Joseph Haydn’s Mass No. 9 in D minor (Missa in angustiis, Mass in time of peril) composed in 1798.

It bears the nickname Nelson Mass, but how this came about is unclear. The year relates to Nelson’s victory over Napoleon in Aboukir Bay, near Alexandria, Egypt, but its attribution to Nelson is more likely to have stemmed from a performance of the Mass in 1800 when Nelson was present. It was composed towards the end of Haydn’s life, and is rightly the most well known and performed of his 14 masses. It reflects Haydn’s mastery of choral composition, having a great sensitivity towards the various parts of the Catholic mass, yet with a delightful lightness of touch that beautifully binds the four sections of the choir with the soloists and orchestra.

In this performance, the excellent soloists were Lucy Elston (soprano), Pip Gascoigne-Pees (alto), Leslie Baker (tenor) and Dominic Rousseau (bass), with Robert Millington (organ) and an orchestra very ably led by Ruth James. The choir responded extremely well to the considerable demands of the Mass and produced a very clear and well balanced sound. The challenging soprano solos were superbly handled by Lucy, whose soaring high notes blended beautifully with the choir.

The second half of the concert began with two of Felix Mendelssohn’s Four Sacred Partsongs, composed around 1845, just two years before Mendelssohn’s very premature death. The choir sang Holy, Holy, Holy and Rejoice! O Sing Praises to Heaven. Both are for double choir in which the two SATB groups are treated antiphonally. The choir coped well with this choral challenge and produced a sensitive rendition of the two pieces.

The concert concluded with an attractive mix of Christmas items: traditional carols and hymns, some with modern settings; and purely modern carols such as Noé! Noé!, which ended this delightful concert. This section of the concert also included solos skilfully delivered by Joan Edgecumbe and Liz Halls, and perhaps somewhat less expertly by the audience!

The musical director of the concert was the ever-enthusiastic yet musically sensitive Dorothy Worthington, who has held this post with much distinction for the past seven years. The concert marked the end of the society’s 160th anniversary year. This is a remarkably long existence and on the present showing there is little doubt that it will continue to flourish for many years to come.

Keith Orrell