A NEAR capacity audience attended the Central Methodist Church, for Bude Choral Society’s winter concert of 20th century music, conducted by John Hobbs and accompanied by David Robinson on the keyboard.

They were joined in the first half by the ‘Mini Minstrels’ children’s choir from Canworthy Water.

The opening work Agan Pader: The Lord’s Prayer in Cornish by Zillah Myers, dedicated to the choral society and to the memory of John Davy, headmaster at St Mark’s, Morwenstow who passed on his passion for all things Cornish to his pupils, was short, simple and powerful, and warmly received by the audience and the composer herself.

It was a challenging programme, and the performance initially did not measure up to the high standard normally set by the choir, particularly in John Rutter’s Mass for the Children.

Entries were ragged and there was some uncertainty in the quieter passages. The baritone soloist, Jason Bomford, was lacking security but he was well supported by Tina Gladwin (soprano) in the duets.

Rutter’s When Icicles Hang, a setting of six early English poems sung in its keyboard only version with flute obligato by Susan Northrop, marked an improvement in the second half of the concert with a positive response to changes in dynamics and tempi.

This was carried over into Bob Chilcott’s Little Jazz Mass when David Cole, double bass, and Kieran Wint, drums, joined the choir. Nova! Nova! by Bob Chilcott, a short 15th century carol, provided a seasonal finale to the evening.

The Mini Minstrels performed with assurance and clear intonation, meticulously following the directions of the conductor. Their voices blended well, and produced a pleasing quality of sound both with the main choir and when singing on their own. Jodi de Souza gave a delightful solo in The Bunch of Time and the whole group clearly enjoyed the exuberance of Little David, Play on your Harp. They are all a credit to their music director Veronica Jones.

The concert was given in support of Children’s Hospice South West and after an informative and emotional appeal during the interval there was a retiring collection for the charity.