Past Seasons

" The separately distinctive forces of Harrogate Choral Society, the children's choir, three soloists, a percussion ensemble and two pianists all combined, under the energy-driven impetus provided by conductor Andrew Padmore, to produce a magnificent performance of this [Carmina Burana] unique work. Pride of place, however, went to the adult choir. The tenors and basses were far more effective than for some time and their full-bodied sound in 'Ecce gratum' was most exciting. The sopranos produced a thrillingly vibrant tone throughout and the altos produced a lovely lyrical sound especially in 'Chume, chum' "

"One of the delights of this performance of Messiah was the immaculate attention to detailed phrasing in both the orchestra and chorus...The Choral Society gave excellent performances of the choruses but was particularly good in the choral fugues. The entries were always very confident and the singing very clear and accurate...This was a performance of Handel’s Messiah that deserves much praise, not only for the quality of its musical content, but also for the detailed work done in its preparation. Andrew Padmore, the splendid soloists and all who took part must be complimented for this memorable performance..."

"[Harrogate Choral Society] were admirable in the interjections into the Evangelist's narrative, bringing passion but also precision to their outbursts. The chorales were also sung beautifully, with poise and balance...The Bach Passions need to be satisfying both musically and dramatically. This Harrogate performance succeeded in both respects"

" The choir was...on fine form. The choir's pitch was consistent throughout the evening and the control of sound from the loudest to the softest was sublime...Andrew Padmore's experience brought some splendid singing from the choir. Always lively to watch he guided the instrumental and vocal forces through the evening with certainty and clarity, the choir's thorough preparation being obvious. Unaccompanied choral singing with large forces can be a moment of nervousness for conductor and choir but the several long sections required of the choral forces were a real highlight of the evening, particularly in the longer sections in the Rossini. They were memorable and impressive "

"Yorkshire Voices...gave a rousing concert at Leeds Town Hall...This was a great performance...[the] evening made it clear why there is no substitute for live choral music, especially when delivered by the Harrogate Choral Society, the Yorkshire Philharmonic Choir and Andrew Padmore."

"...the choir was in fine voice and dealt well with the complexities of The Music Makers, as it is no easy score and not within the standard repertoire"

"Even though this has now seemed to have become an annual event (December 4th 2010) the energetic and enthusiastic approach of conductor Andrew Padmore, together with his attention to such precise detail, ensured that yet another outstanding triumph took place...Harrogate Choral Society were on top form. The balance between the sections...was well-nigh perfect."

"The opening chorus immediately set the tone for the evening giving the performance a bright start...Laudate pueri saw the choir in full flow bringing the best out of the dance rhythms in the chorus parts while the Nisi Dominus brought out the cross rhythms to great effect, most particularly in the two soprano parts. Of these large scale choruses the eight part Lauda Jerusalem...was...the highlight. It had drive and momentum, excitement and thrilling top notes again from the sopranos and the cross-rhythms in the final Amen brought the movement to a grand climax."

"The qualities of the Harrogate Choral Society, expertly prepared by their conductor Andrew Padmore, were again apparent: their clear articulation, precise entries, control of dynamics and, above all, in their energetic, bright sounds. Even though the tenors and basses may be short in terms of numbers, they sang with confidence and commitment."

"A roaring success...The 135 strong local choir supported by the Manchester Camerata and the trumpet soloist Alison Balsom, presented an evening of music guaranteed to please the most discerning of listener."

"A vibrant performance of the most-loved choral work of all was given to a capacity audience...Although Handel's Messiah needs no introduction to the overwhelming majority of music-lovers, the fresh approach taken by conductor Andrew Padmore ensured a sense of continual engagement."

"Certainly the choir were in good voice and, under the expert direction of Andrew Padmore, exerted their usual fine control over the melodies given to them and to the strong driving rhythms."

"Traditionally Yorkshire is the way I would describe the wonderful combination of brass and voices... Continuing to celebrate their Diamond Jubilee, Harrogate Choral Society joined forces with The Harrogate Band to give a concert of exciting and entertaining music."

"Yes, A Glorious Fanfare indeed, as the nave, and probably other areas also, of Ripon Cathedral reverberated magnificently to the sounds of organ, brass and voices in a concert of mainly English music written mostly in the last 70 years."

"A combination of voices, organ and brass, mainly promoting the 2000-year-old seasonal message, proved to be a real winner...The compère, Marilynne Davies, who was eloquent throughout, encouraged the large audience to think of the event as being “the start of Christmas” and for many it probably would have been. Harrogate Choral Society were in excellent form; their precision and ensemble were such that they frequently sounded like a chamber choir rather than a group of almost 100 singers."

"The first concert to be given by an amateur group in the newly-refurbished Royal Hall was marked by an outstanding performance of Mendelssohn's oratorio Elijah. From the sonorous sounds of the opening of the Overture,...,through to the triumphant and glorious final chorus, this was a performance with considerable attention to detail and yet high on drama."

"And what a glorious sound [Yorkshire Voices] made! Rarely can Verdi's terrifying setting of the Dies irae have been unleashed with such force and with such spine tingling ferocity, even in Leeds Town Hall...But it was more than just the volume of sound and refinement of tone that places this new body of singers in the ranks of Yorkshire's finest."

"In their second season under the direction of Andrew Padmore, Harrogate Choral Society brought to Ripon Cathedral a performance of passion, power and panache... The choir were in fine voice and it was clear from the outset that Andrew Padmore has been busy developing a full and forthright tone to the choir."

"Overall, the pace sometimes chosen was quicker than one often hears, but the result was generally to perceive the words in a new light. Andrew Padmore demonstrated that he intended to get exactly what he wanted...Overall, this pre-Christmas concert was both memorable and greatly enjoyable..."

"All credit to Andrew Padmore and the Harrogate Choral Society for providing such a splendid evening. Praise too for the extremely versatile percussionists, Backbeat Percussion Quartet, who displayed great professionalism throughout."

"Throughout their performances, both alone and with Boe, [Harrogate Choral Society's] diction was outstanding and the balance between the sections well-nigh perfect."

"Harrogate Choral Society under guest conductor Brian Kay gave a convincing and musical performance of the Duruflé with a fine sense of light and shade and some properly shattering climaxes. They used the version with organ, strings and trumpets."

"[In Mass of the Children], the adult choir were most impressive in the a capella passages and understood well the reflective mood of this work. Although the Gloria was, appropriately, the only section to display any semblance of rhythmic vitality – the forces seizing this opportunity with relish – the choirs combined to forge a thrillingly executed climax in the final section...[In Feel the Spirit] the Choral Society was in fine form, displaying excellent diction and often entering into the spirit of the work by swaying."

"...a magnificent mid-May Magical Mozart concert, given by the Harrogate Choral Society, was sold out well in advance...The programme...began with the little gem, Ave verum corpus, written for choir and string orchestra. Singing from memory the choir responded to every motion from the conductor, producing a full, rich and well blended tone in all parts with expressive phrasing and excellent control of dynamics, supported well by a suitable rich string tone from the orchestra."

"Jongen's Mass, which dated from 1945, brought together the Harrogate Choral Society, the brass group and organist, Graham Eccles. The choir showed its understanding of the work's many contrasts...The endings of the Credo and Hosanna were performed with a real sense of triumph. The Agnus Dei showed the choir's ability to sing in a delicate manner."

"A fresh and stimulating performance of Handel's timeless classic, Messiah, under the imaginative direction of Jeffrey Wynn Davies, enthralled a capacity audience..."

"I do not think I have been to a concert of the Harrogate Choral Society in the last fourteen years where I have felt that the choir was anything other than well prepared. Under Jeffrey Wynn Davies they have had the benefit of a hugely experienced and respected choral director who has developed a purity and unity of sound in all voices, most pleasingly in the soprano section, of which he is justly proud."