Review: York Cantores; St Olave’s Church, York

9:31am Friday 7th March 2008

IN THE 11 years since Marion Best took charge of York Cantores, she has never fought shy of music by living composers - and it makes their concerts that much more intriguing.

So it was quite natural for their first half on Saturday to be given over to music by Dick Blackford and John Joubert.

The choir has enjoyed a long association with Blackford, whose humorous vein pleasingly permeates even his sacred music. The quiet Osanna, for example, in the Sanctus and Benedictus, from his Missa Bonae Spei, alone turns convention on its head. Here, too, the teasing harmonies elicited smiles. Next time we must hear the whole mass.

This rich vein continued into Joubert's extended motet Rorate Coeli (1985). The wide leaps of the solo soprano line held no fears for Claire Jowett, who provided the recurring dew-drops that link the work's four sections.

The choir has rarely sounded more assured, maintaining strict order alike through the spiralling leaves of Peccavimus and the uneasy solace of the Consolamini.

Baroque music proved marginally less smooth. Some tension showed among the enthusiasm in two Schütz motets.

The voices were more exposed in Bach's taxing Jesu, Meine Freude, but the excitement still shone through.

This satisfying outing was made even more so by Geoffrey Coffin's organ interludes, which included a brio-filled Bach prelude and fugue.

Miss Best retires after the choir's June concert. Our warm thanks and best wishes go with her.