Venue: Austin Friars School Chapel, Carlisle
Date: Saturday, 22 November 2025
Artists: Wordsworth Singers, Andy McTaggart (conductor)
A Poised and Moving Rachmaninov Vespers
The Wordsworth Singers’ performance of Rachmaninov’s Vespers on 22nd November captivated a full chapel with an accomplished blend of discipline and emotional depth. Set in the candlelit Austin Friars chapel, filled with a large, attentive audience, the atmosphere was ideal for Rachmaninov’s meditative, spiritual sound world.
From the bright, focused opening with carefully shaped phrases, the choir established a warm, resonant tone that immediately captivated the audience. The first movement, “Blessed is the Man,” displayed a broad dynamic palette with rich contrasts, setting the tone for the rest of the performance. Overall, the choir produced a poised, emotionally charged, and focused performance, maintaining excellent intonation for the majority of the work — a remarkable achievement given the entirely a cappella setting.
The ensemble’s cohesion was a testament to conductor Andy McTaggart, whose leadership demonstrated remarkable musical authority. He shaped every phrase with precision, bringing clarity and purpose to every phrase, and highlighted both technical clarity and emotional nuance.
In “Bless the Lord, O My Soul,” a rich alto solo stood out against a delicate soprano accompaniment. Tenor solos in “O Gladsome Light” and “The Story of the Resurrection” impressed with a rich, resonant tone and superb breath control, projecting above the choir without overpowering it. Balance between the parts was carefully maintained. Despite a large bass section providing depth, the choir never felt bottom-heavy, allowing the upper voices to shine.
A particularly poignant moment came in “Ave Maria / Bogoroditse Devo,” where interweaving lines built with passion to a rich climax, and the soaring soprano lines were delivered with radiant clarity. The choir also created a palpable sense of stillness at the end of the “Magnificat.”
Overall, it was an atmospheric, skilfully executed concert that was profoundly moving.
Sarah Massey