Viva Lewes Issue #138 March 2018

ON THIS MONTH: CLASSICAL MUSIC
Photo by Ash Mills
Haydn’s Creation
A special anniversary concert
The Esterházy Chamber Choir, named after
Austrian composer Joseph Haydn’s patron Prince
Nikolaus Esterházy, was formed in Lewes a
quarter of a century ago. It’s highly fitting, then,
that the choir have chosen Haydn’s Creation to
perform, at Lewes Town Hall, to celebrate their
own beginnings.
Amateur choirs need to raise money to put on
concerts, in order to pay for the orchestra, any
solo singers that are needed, and the venue hire.
Putting on Haydn’s 1798 masterpiece isn’t a venture
that allows for the cutting of many corners.
The oratorio is a depiction of the creation of the
world as described in the Book of Genesis, including
a musical representation of a lion, a tiger, insects
and a serpent. The choir, 30-40-members strong,
will be joined by a similar-sized orchestra: it
promises to be quite a spectacle.
“We needed to hire three professional soloists, and
we wanted a high quality orchestra, so we hired
the world-renowned London Mozart Players,”
says Matthew Spencer, a first bass who has been
singing with the choir for twenty years. None
of this came cheap, of course. “So we devised a
novel way of raising money, which we dubbed the
Carol-athon.”
There exists a tome affectionately called ‘The
Green Book’ which contains many traditional carols
– over 50 of them – “half of which you rarely
hear sung any more”. The choir raised over £1,700
by singing every note of every carol – in one marathon
session of three hours – in December. “It was
hugely enjoyable,” he says, “but I don’t think we’ll
do it every year.”
The choir has had an injection of fresh blood:
there are three recently joined members who
weren’t yet born when it started up… and its recently
appointed musical director, Richard Dawson
(above, bottom row), is at the beginning of what
looks like a stellar career. Richard, just 26, is the
Deputy Director of Music at Brighton College and
Director of Music at St Paul’s Church, Brighton.
The choir has delighted audiences with many
memorable concerts over the years, under a number
of different directors. When pressed to mention
one concert in particular, Matthew recalls the
choir’s 15th anniversary celebration, at St John sub
Castro, a performance of Bach’s St John Passion,
conducted by guest director Nigel Perrin, a big
star in the choral music scene and formerly of The
King’s Singers. “A member of the choir generously
sponsored that concert instead of throwing a party
for a significant birthday of their own that year,”
he says.
The future sounds healthy, and we can expect
much more from the choir, which performs four
concerts every year: an a capella performance,
a couple of concerts generally accompanied by
piano or organ, and a “flagship” show with a hired
orchestra. This is a flagship performance deluxe,
an apt way of celebrating the choir’s birthday. “A
party’s just a party,” concludes Matthew. “But a
great concert will be remembered for ever.”
Alex Leith
Haydn The Creation, 7pm, 25th March, Town Hall.
esterhazychoir.org
35