The audience in Huddersfield Town Hall on the evening of Saturday 18th May 2019, were full of praise for the choirs who performed at Honley Male Voice Choir’s concert entitled ‘Three Male Voice Choirs in Concert’. Honley was pleased to welcome on stage with them, Cor Meibon Pontarddulais Male Choir and Saddleworth Male Voice Choir.
Pontarddulais Male Choir, the then Welsh National Champions had won the Welsh National Eisteddfod on seventeen successive occasions. Conducted by their Musical Director Clive Phillips and accompanied by David Last (piano) and Huw Smitham (Organ) the Pontarddulais men lived up to expectations, performing a wide variety of music encompassing traditional Welsh items along with show music and even the occasional spiritual. The choir’s ability to vary its tone between the strong sonorous triple fortes in items such as Men of Harlech to the quiet as a whisper Benedictus (The Armed Man) was outstanding. Honley and Saddleworth Male Voice Choirs joined forces in their items, which also included an equal range and variety of music. Notable were ‘Comrades in Arms’ and ‘All You Were and All You Are’ for their contrast. They were conducted by both of their Musical Directors, Steven Roberts (HMVC) and Dorian Kelly (SMVC) and accompanied by Catherine Hall-Smith.
In complete contrast Will Robertson, who recently won the Kirklees Young Musician 2019 at the Mrs Sunderland Festival, performed two items for cello; “Elegie, Opus 24 by Gabriel Faure” was sympathetically performed along with the more energetic third movement from the “Cello Concerto in C Major” by Joseph Haydn. In both items the reasons for him achieving the Young Musician award were clear. Will was accompanied by Jane Robertson.
The close on 160 voices combined in three items, opening the concert with “Llanfair”, closing the first half with “Gwahoddiad” and the concert ended with “Morte Criste” after which the audience rose to their feet in a standing ovation. It was extra special for all of us at HMVC as we welcomed on stage, former chorister and now Chelsea Pensioner, Brian Rolfe.
