Brothers In Song, Welwyn Garden City, St. Francis of Assisi Church, 26th October.
Renewing our long-standing friendship with Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir, this was a “return gig” for us, having taken part in their 80/30 celebrations last year. With a combined choir of over 60 voices, the audience were treated to the power of song as only a massed choir can provide!
The music in the concert ranged from the Welsh valleys, through the French Revolution and American Civil War, and included some “classic” Male Voice Choir numbers.
In the first set, the both choirs sang “Gwahoddiad” in Welsh. Somewhat of a challenge for Luton Vauxhall, as they normally sing this in English! Thanks to some dedicated learning and collaboration prior to this concert, the challenge was brilliantly met!
The second set took us to Revolutionary France, with a medley from “Les Miserables”. Orla Brady performed the poignant “On My Own”, to a hushed and appreciative audience. Stewart Hunt gave us a powerful rendition of “Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”, and Roy Larter added some comic touches as “Master of the House” - with audience participation!
Orla Brady
Stewart Hunt
Roy Larter
Maximillian Ansell
Maximillian Ansell was also introduced by the choir in the concert. Max plays piano and 'cello, and he played several beautiful 'cello pieces by Saint-Saëns, Bach and Fauré. Max is 12, and has ambitions to become a concert pianist and composer. With the talent he displayed, he will go far.
After the interval, both choirs took the stage on their own to perform their own pieces. Vauxhall Luton MVC told us about Nelson's Blood and What a Wonderful World (of song) it was! Welwyn Garden City responded with “Danny Boy” and “Crossing the Bar”, lending an ethereal, but powerful edge to the set.
Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir
Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir
The final set of the evening saw both choirs join together to give full voice to “Morte Criste” and “American Trilogy”, both accompanied by Michelle Boylan on the organ, which just lifted these pieces to another level, and left the audience with those ringing final chords resounding through the church, to end a wonderful evening of music and song.
Concert Programme Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir & Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir Let All Men Sing Keith Christopher Take Me Home Rod Edwards / Roger Hand The Rose (Directed by Phillida Driver) Amanda McBroom arr Alwyn Humphreys Gwahoddiad Arr John Tudor Davies Soloist - Maximillian Ansell The Swan Camille Saint-Saëns Allemande from Suite No. 3 Johann Sebastian Bach Les Miserables Selection A Boublil & C-M Schoenberg Stars Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir Empty Chairs at Empty Tables Featuring Stewart Hunt On My Own Featuring Orla Brady Master of the House Feat. Roy Larter (with choir and audience participation!) Bring Him Home Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir Do You Hear The People Sing Welwyn Garden City MVC & Vauxhall Luton MVC INTERVAL Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir Drop of Nelson’s Blood Trad., Sea Shanty What a Wonderful World George Douglas / George David Weiss Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir Danny Boy Fred Weatherley arr Matthew P Jones Crossing the Bar Alfred, Lord Tennyson / Gwyneth Walker Soloist - Maximillian Ansell Prelude from Suite No. 1 Johann Sebastian Bach Elegy Gabriel Fauré Welwyn Garden City Male Voice Choir & Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir Tell My Father Frank Wildhorn/Jack Murphy arr Andrea Ramsey You’ll Never Walk Alone Rogers / Hammerstein arr Gilman Morte Criste Isaac Watts / Emrys Jones (Organ Accompaniment by Michelle Boylan) American Trilogy Trad., arr M.Newbury/A. Humphreys (Organ Accompaniment by Michelle Boylan
Many thanks to Vauxhall Luton Male Voice Choir for their participation and the staff at St. Francis Church for their support as hosts for the evening. Also thanks to Laurent and staff at The Waggoners for hosting the post-concert afterglow.