Farnham and Bourne Choral Society’s November concert was their first in nearly two years, and what a joy it was to hear live music again after such a long time.

The society sang with their new conductor Ben de Souza, an up-and-coming choral conductor who has already proved himself popular with the Farnham and Bourne singers.

The all-French programme opened with the beautiful Cantique de Jean Racine by Gabriel Fauré. This was composed early in his career in 1866 when aged only 21, and earned him first prize in a competition.

The choir produced a well-blended and balanced tone, with a good range of dynamics and warm atmospheric singing, especially in the tenors and basses. The choir coped well with the French words, not the easiest language to sing in.

Louis Vierne’s Messe Solennelle of 1899 was the most challenging work for the choir and began with an impressive organ introduction, played competently by Robert Patterson, who accompanied the choir throughout the concert.

The work sets the standard movements of the mass, but without the creed, and was first performed in Saint-Sulpice, Paris. Particularly outstanding was the haunting motif on the organ accompanying the Sanctus.

The conductor chose convincing speeds for the movements and the choir coped admirably with the work’s crisp rhythms, strong climaxes and interesting harmonies. The sopranos made a good attempt at some very difficult pitching and key changes. The mass ended serenely in C sharp major with the words Dona Nobis Pacem.

The choir fully came into its own in the Fauré Requiem, a fitting end to a concert sponsored by the Owen family in memory of Andy Owen, one of the choir’s tenors, who died recently.

They captured the atmosphere of the Requiem and sang with a well-blended tone and sustained phrasing, the tenors producing a lovely warm sound in the Agnus Dei. Baritone soloist Chris Murphy projected very well with excellent diction. The soprano soloist, Ellie Hargreaves, gave a heartfelt rendition of the Pie Jesu, with a beautifully- controlled tone. In the final movement, In Paradisum, the sopranos sang angelically. A most enjoyable performance.

Yvette Bailey