Last updated 05:27, Friday, 16 May 2008

Dance Ti thy daddy – Gretna Choral Society, Richard Greenhow Centre, GretnaA large audience was taken on a delightful musical tour round the British Isles (with a short excursion to the USA thrown in) by the choir of the Gretna Choral Society.

With the title of ‘Dance Ti Thy Daddy’, the programme took in a grand selection of well known folk songs in arrangements which showed the fine singing of the choir at its best.

Well known Northumbrian singer and harpist Janet Bennet also looked to the folk repertoire for her contribution of song and clarsach music which was received most enthusiastically by the audience. Janet also played one of her own compositions, On the way to Wallington, as well as a delightful piece written by Queen Victoria’s harpist.

The songs which the choir presented were from many well known arrangers, Vaughan Williams, Holst, Roberton and Langford among them, and the singers coped admirably with demands made upon their technique and communicated their enjoyment of the music to the audience.

The highlights of the choir’s performance came right at the end of the evening, in the section devoted to songs from Northumberland, with a charming rendering of The Waters of Tyne and a rousing finale with Bobby Shaftoe.

The choir was accompanied with her usual expertise by accompanist Cilla Grant.

TOM HUTTON