Northern Voices/Samson, St Nicholas Church, Guisborough

HANDEL'S oratorio Samson, written immediately after Messiah, is often overshadowed by its famous predecessor so it was good to hear it performed in Guisborough by Northern Voices.

Though only formed in 2011, the Darlington-based choir has already achieved a good balance and, certainly on this occasion, a full sound for a group of about 40 singers.

The principal role of Samson was sung by the young tenor Andrew McAllister, who gradually adjusted to the church’s acoustic, reaching an early peak on Total Eclipse where he laments on his blindness.

Consistently good throughout the performance a particular highlight was his duet with musical director Gillian Sild as Dalila on Traitor to Love which had tremendous rhythm and vitality.

Alto Melanie Hughes in full voice as Micah contrasted nicely with both McAllister and choir member Malcolm Brown who took on the two difficult bass roles of Manoah, Samson’s father and the giant, Harapha.

Other roles were effectively sung by sopranos Judith Redfern, Sue Grogan and Val MacConachie, who stepped forward from the choir to take on the exposed solo parts, and tenor Tony Grylls whose brief solo on Where Shall I Run? was particularly clear.

The choir themselves seemed strong in all sections on, for example O First Created Beam, soaring on Then Round About the Starry Throne and delicate on Glorious Hero.

The whole performance was very strongly supported by the impressive organist Trevor Blease and guided by conductor Gillian Sild who coaxed the very best from the choir.

Peter Bevan