Andre Previn ‘would have thoroughly approved’ of Newbury’s happy Cromwell Singers

The Cromwell Singers: Be Happy

on Saturday, March 29

at St Mary’s Church, Thatcham

Review by OLIVER WILLIAMS

IN his early days as a young film composer, Andre Previn was told by a musically illiterate producer to write music with ‘no minor chords’; without offending the producer by correcting his choice of words, Previn went away and wrote happy music for the film in question.

The aforementioned producer would have thoroughly approved of Cromwell Singers’ concert – this was indeed music with few minor chords and many, many major ones. The happy mood of the music was perfectly apt for the children’s charity Swings and Smiles, for which the concert raised money.

Songs from the musicals was today’s theme, and we heard classics from The Sound of Music, Les Misérables and Barnum, as well as gems from ABBA, Gerry Marsden and John Rutter.

The 40-plus choir was in top form. Despite its being top-heavy with sopranos and altos, the men contributed strongly and there was always a good balance. Intonation and diction were exemplary as ever, and there were some great expressive moments – I loved the crescendo on the words ‘spreading sunshine’ in Put on a Happy Face, and the light-and-shade in Fields of Gold.

There were splendid solos and small ensembles. The trio styled The Nylons excelled in a version of ABBA’s Dancing Queen, with three-part harmony and choreographed gestures.

The gloriously-named ‘Trevorlys’ had the audience sighing with pleasure in a barbershop version of Billy Joel’s The Longest Time.

The young guest singer Alex Hutson dazzled with a patter song from Barnum. From the same talented family, for me the outstanding performer was Lucy Hutson, who sang the title song from The Sound of Music; with rare stage presence and beauty of voice, she is a singer one would go a long way to hear.

Congratulations to Jevan Johnson Booth for her brilliant accompaniment, and to guest flautist Deborah Stanley who blended in so well with choir and piano.

But the day’s gold medal must surely go to Trevor Defferd, for his conducting, his witty introductions, and his sensitive accompanying of the ensembles with, as Andre Previn would have put it, the right notes in the right order.

This was an afternoon to delight in.