Elizabeth BoumanSt Paul’s CathedralSunday, September 6REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH BOUMANSouthern Consort performed in St Paul's Cathedral yesterday, to a Covid Level 2 capacity audience, with a challenging programme of sacred and secular choral repertoire of Scandinavian and Baltic origins. It was very cold in the cathedral, the choir had practised social distancing in the weeks of preparation, and also yesterday a vast empty space behind them, due to post-fire renovations, altered the acoustics. Guest artists Catgut and Steel (Anna Bowen, fiddle and Mike Moroney, guitar) presented a selection of lively Scandinavian folk tunes as an interlude. Carl Neilsen's choral arrangement of Saenk kun dit hoved, du blomst is based on a haunting lullaby for solo voice and piano, and its performance was definitely a highlight. The final three contemporary items were brighter in character and accompanied by solo fiddle.

Source: Otago Daily Times September 07, 2020 04:07 UTC