What: TOWER Voices New Zealand concert

Where: Whiteley Church, New Plymouth, Friday 10th August 2007

Reviewed by Harry Brown.

CHOIR HITS A HIGH POINT

Last night's Tower Voices concert was all about rapport and balance.

Rapport between distinguished conductor and talented choir passed on to the audience, and balance between the voices and a wondrous mix of music from 17th to 21st century.

A capacity audience in the Methodist Centre gave the choir the warmest possible ovation to which they responded with the awesome tenderness of a setting of the famous A Beauteous Rose Hath Blossomed chorale.

The choir is marvellously drilled by Karen Grylls, especially in changing tone and timbre to suit the style: A pleasing straight tone for Purcell, but a richer 20th-century sound for Bob Chilcott's setting of the same text, and an even brighter ringing sound for a delightful piece with eight singers ringing the changes on the (vocal) church bells against a choir inside, praising the Lord. Huge fun, and very clever.

Ken Young is well known for his instrumental playing, writing and conducting and we heard an impressive Credo commissioned for the occasion.

This was all contemporary music at its best, followed by eclectic effects from wine glasses tuned with the singers bouncing off their sounds with glassy tone and Whiteley's rafters rang with a rapturous Gloria enhanced by some splendid soloists.

We enjoyed the classic beauty of The Silver Swan contrasted to a setting by Mantyjarvi.

By this time we deserved a laugh. And got one at My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth.

And why not? Singers and audience deserved it, for Tower Voices hit a fitting high point to a successful arts festival.