Karl Smallman
Morris Bishop reviews the Christmas Concert by the choir and orchestra of Collegium Musicum
THERE was standing room only because once again, the word had spread around Marbella that the Choir and Orchestra of Collegium Musicum under the baton of their Director of Music, Annemarie Philipps were giving a concert in the Iglesia de la Encarnacion in San Pedro.
Works were mainly by European composers, with one exception, which was the opening movement from ‘El Nacimiento’ by Ariel Ramirez who hails from Argentina.
Two of the many highlights from the program were the Vivaldi Concerto for two trumpets and orchestra, with soloists Angel T. San Bartolome and Juan Carlos Jerez Gomez giving virtuoso performances, and the six dances from the Capriol Suite by Peter Warlock. Both these were ‘sans choir’ which gave the audience their chance to show their appreciation of music making to a very high standard.
The carols, many of them unknown to me, were by French, German, Spanish, Austrian, English and Scottish composers. The works from these last two were Holst’s ‘The Saviour of the World is Born’ , Pearsall’s ‘In Dulci Jubilo’, and a traditional Gaelic air ‘Child in a Manger’.
Two works from the pen of Spaniard Jose L. Blasco were particularly well received, as was that old perennial by Schubert, the 23rd psalm – ‘The Lord is my Shepherd’.
If a single word were to be used to describe the evening, it would be JOYOUS.
The musical arrangements are made to suit the ‘present’ orchestral mix, by the president of Collegum Musicum, Delyth Bressington , who would like it to be known that they warmly welcome new singers and musicians.
For more information go to their web site www.colmus.org
