Those fortunate enough to be at St Mary's Church, South Perrott, enjoyed a rare treat on Saturday 17th April when Parnham Voices, a small local chamber choir, gave a concert of unaccompanied sacred and secular music in aid of the Bell Fund. The singers, directed by John Mingay, gave a polished and confident performance in which their voices blended beautifully in both tone and balance.

The opening section included an anthem by Mendelssohn sung in German with crystal-clear enunciation, and was followed by an exquisite performance of the Lamentations of Jeremiah by Thomas Tallis. Arensky's Otche Nash, the Lord's Prayer sung in Russian, came as a complete contrast in the next group of sacred pieces with its tranquil legato style .

The mood lightened with three madrigals by Thomas Morley, in which the choir showed a masterful control of dynamics, followed by three Hindemith songs. The final part of the programme included a lovely arrangement by Reginald Pocock of Jerome Kern's All the Things You Are and ended with three rousing Hungarian folk songs.

As well as conducting the singers, John Mingay played two solo pieces in contrasting styles on the organ, and accompanied Claire Davies on the flute in Handel's Sonata in G minor.

The varied, well-balanced programme and the beautiful sound of Parnham Voices were the key elements in the success of this concert, and I look forward to hearing them again in the Beaminster Festival this summer.

LLB