Concerts

Last weekend two musical events of particular interest to readers of the Catholic.Herald took place in London.
Roger Bevan, Director of Music at Downside, brought nine of his family of 14 to London to make their London debut, which coincided with the launching of their second record "Family Collection". Today small families are the rule, and the size alone of the Bevan family would make it unusual, but they are also a musical phenomenon.
It is inevitable that a singing family should bring to mind the Twos. and success such as they enjoyed, would he well deserved by the Bevans, for their singing is both beautiftil and varied. The range of their performance, within the limits of pure music, is very considerable.
Their programme at St John's Church, Smith Square. included not only Latin motets, hymns such as "The Lord is my Shepherd". finely sung by David and Anthony, hut also negro spirituals.
Vern Sanete Jpritus. sung by the whole choir. was unusual in including female voices, but all the better for it. The. boy-like purity of Rachel's voice made her rendering of "0 for the Wings of a Dove'', a truly memorable one.
The Bevan Family Choir are shortly off on a tour of Belgium. Holland and Denmark. They will surely meet with great success.
Hayd n's Micsa in Anguctiic, better known today as the Nelson Mass, is said to contain some of Haydn's greatest music. The New Westminster Chorus and the London Mozart Players, conducted by Colin Mawby, former Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral, gave an excellent performance of this Mass at the Albert Hall.
Hazel Holt (soprano) gave a particularly notable performance and availed herself of the opportunity provided by the superb and soaring soprano solo contained in the Kyrie. to show her very real talent. The Bevan Family Choir The London Mozart Players, however, deserve praise in their own right, for the first half of the concert was purely orchestral and, although smaller in number, the orchestra was well able to express the passion and fire of their first piece, Beethoven's "CorioIan Overture". which was followed by Jupiter Symphony by, Mozart, in which piece they excelled, especially at the finale with its thrilling climax.