A CAPACITY turn-out attended this memorable concert by Guisborough Choral Society and Dishforth Military Wives where a wide-ranging programme was presented with contributions from instrumental soloists, singers and reader.

Angela Bennett, director of the choral society, welcomed the audience and requested no applause for the opening items, which were all of a reflective nature appropriate to the occasion, ending with a reading from Ecclesiasticus.

After the haunting message of the Last Post played on cornet by Les Mitchell, Dishforth Military Wives opened with a tender performance of Abide with Me, singing with beautifully clear diction, followed by a fine reading by Barry Land of Robert Graves’s poem Peace, and High Flight by John Magee Jr., a young pilot-poet who died tragically young.

Land, who has an excellent voice, expressive and audible, did full justice to the readings.

The society’s performance of Lotti’s Missa breva in D minor was performed beautifully under Ms Bennett's direction.

The first half ended with both choirs joining to sing Wherever You Are and Holst’s Turn Back Oh Man, with the audience joining in the last verse.

Refreshments were served in the interval by Guisborough Bridge Association before a performance of Faure's glorious Requiem. Beautiful, melodic and spell-binding, it was performed by both choirs with sensitivity and expressiveness.

Baritione Marcus Groundwater performed the Offertory and the Libera Me with great beauty – smooth and rich, contrasting with the soaring flight of the sopranos in the Sanctus, and a fine organ accompaniment by Trevor Blease. Finally In paradisum floated us into that great realm to which we are transported by beautiful music.

Special tribute must be paid to Angela Bennett, Ruth Sladden, Barrie Land, Trevor Blease, organist, and Malcolm Maddock, piano. They all contributed to the richness of the experience.

Irene MacDonald