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Following the retirement of John Railton during his eightieth birthday year, Jonathan Watts has been appointed as the Choirs new musical director and conductor following three years as our accompanist.

This review appeared in The Plymouth Herald following the performance of Elijah on 16 May:

Stirring rendition of oratorio

 

Elijah received rapturous applause at its first performance in Birmingham in 1846 and has remained a firm favourite ever since.

 

It would, however, be difficult to imagine any greater ovation than that which followed Dartington Community Choir’s outstanding performance of Mendelssohn’s oratorio in the superb setting and acoustic of Dartington’s Great Hall.

 

Conductor, Jonathan Watts, in his first major event with the choir, has obviously worked tirelessly in rehearsals to drill every note in place, but his presence, enthusiasm and complete authority on the night really made all the difference.

 

Singers, whether soloists or chorus members, need to breathe, and it was always so apparent that this was a prime consideration throughout.

 

Here Nicholas Merryweather (bass) gave the performance of his life, throwing everything into his singing, which was the evening’s undoubted highlight. But he received tremendous support from tenor, Colin Howard, soprano, Catherine Hamilton, also on absolutely top form, and Elisabeth Stirling (alto).

 

Brenda Willoughby led the most impressive orchestra with assured expertise, where, under Jonathan’s concise and abundantly clear beat the ensemble was virtually faultless.

 

But the final accolade must go to the 140-strong choir who have now emerged as a major player in the area. For not only did they sing their hearts out, they were so pleasing to watch, and truly epitomise what the large-scale British choral tradition is surely all about.