Spring Concert 2026
Saturday 18th April 7.30pm
The Spring Concert in St John the Baptist Church, Newport was a great success. For the choir it was a very enjoyable and uplifting singing experience, and we would like to thank our very appreciative audience for all their support and praise. Praise from the discerning members of a Cwmbran Baroque Singers audience is a great compliment.
We benefitted also, as so often, from the skilled musicianship of Orchestra De Cymru, who accompanied us in the more substantial works, and from our piano accompanist, Gaynor Smith's, sensitivity and technical skill in her playing in the beautiful shorter pieces.
Our excellent Musical Director, Carol Williams, planned the programme to suit the very varied tastes found among both audience members and within the choir itself.
The 'Big Work', which tested and rewarded the abilities of both choir and orchestra, was Lux Aeterna, by Morten Lauridsen. Lauridsen is a very popular contemporary composer, working in the United States. His work contains as many clashing notes or dissonances, and surprising leaps in the melody as might be expected in a modern work, yet audiences have still found this modern day Requiem rich and intensely moving. Cwmbran Baroque Singers dedicated this performance to the memory of the late Canon Westbrook, who did so much during his time at St John's to promote local music and musicians.
The inclusion of a Sanctus by J.S. Bach and Benedictus sit Deus by Mozart provided music from the Baroque and Classical eras, as too did Handel's Let their celestial concerts all unite! These pieces also provided a wonderful showcase for Helen Miles, the delightful Soprano soloist who sang the soprano movements in the Bach and Mozart and a thrilling rendition of Handel's Let the Bright Seraphim.
Other pieces included Wagner's, 'Pilgrim's Chorus' from the opera Tannhauser, sung by the Tenors and Basses of the choir, and Clara Schumann's song, Sie liebten sich beide, sung by the Sopranos and Altos.
From the whole choir, the audience also heard Vaughan Williams, Let All the World, Rutter, For the Beauty of the Earth, Tavener, Mother of God Here I Stand and Whitacre, Five Hebrew Love Songs.
Finally, an important word of thanks to our good Friend of the Choir, Rodney Smith, for these photographs of the concert. He takes many photos of our performances and is kind enough to let us share them.
