Carols for a Choral Future

Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band, Massed Choir & Organ
Musical Director: Dr Simon Lindley
Leeds Parish Church, Leeds
Wednesday 7th December

The historic and delightful building of Leeds Parish Church contained a near capacity audience for the annual Christmas Gala Concert to listen to the Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band and the massed choir (composed from the Choir of Leeds Parish Church, St Peter's Singers and Leeds College of Music Choral Society) and organist David Houlder under the expert direction of the energetic Dr Simon Lindley.

This concert has become something of a tradition at this time of year signalling the start of the Christmas season for the local community.  The Imps sat centre stage looking immaculate donned in their black and red uniforms with gold brae immediately surrounded by the gowned choristers of Leeds Parish Church with the ranks of the massed choir behind.

One composer who is now synonymous with brass bands and Christmas music is David Willcocks. His famous Christmas arrangements are now a standard for many concerts but the band combined with the unique acoustic properties of the church, organ and the graceful singing from the massed choir blended to provide an enchanting start to the evening with a rendition of 'Hark the Herald'.

The band got off to a dazzling start with a crisp and sprightly rendition of the famous 'Christmas Festival Overture' by Leroy Anderson. Simon Lindley literally led from the front directing the music with such vigor and energy that it certainly rubbed off on the band and the mood was set for what was to be a very entertaining evening.

Now it was the massed choirs turn to take centre stage allowing the band to take a brief rest. The choir, accompanied by David Houlder on the organ, performed an enchanting rendition of Peter Thorne's 'I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing In'.  This was followed quickly by another of Willcocks' arrangements, 'It Came upon the Midnight Clear.'

Suitably refreshed the band continued with Leroy Anderson's 'Sleigh Ride' now a traditional concert item since the first concert in 1999. The music was played with energy, style and panache the piece received a drawn out ovation showing it had been more than appreciated by the large audience.

Anyone knowing Dr Simon Lindley will know he is a stickler for audience participation at these concerts and you cannot help yourself but join in.  However, even the next piece Vincent Novello's 'Adeste, Fideles', got the most experienced singers nervous.  Singing in Latin is something not everybody has attempted yet even with the varying pronunciation, timing and in some cases pitch the piece proved to be a popular item leaving a smile on most peoples faces.

The Imps once again contributed to the concert with a performance Prokofiev‘s 'Troika from the Lt. Kije Suite'.  A Christmas favourite the piece skipped along and the band had no problem taking the audience with them.

To add that extra spark but also to show what a wonderful talent he is David Houlder, Sub-Organist at Leeds Parish Church, gave a performance of 'Toccata: Songs of Praise' by Herbert Chappell. Having spent most of the evening in the background he did not hold back making use of the famous organ to try and dislodge any cobwebs the cleaners may have missed. It was a wonderful performance which was certainly deserving of the prolonged applause he received.

Various other pieces and readings followed, each expertly presented, before the band, choir and organ closed the concert with Gordon Langford's 'A Christmas Fantasy'. 

Congratulations to Dr Simon Lindley for yet another wonderful Christmas Gala Concert, which he led with deceptive ease from start to finish, the massed choirs whose contribution was nothing short of wonderful and the Yorkshire Imperial Urquhart Travel Band for an evening of delightfully performed and presented Christmas music.

Paul Thomas

^back to top