KEY POINTS:
Musica Sacra celebrated its 10th anniversary with confidence and utter professionalism, as reflected in the concert's handsome programme booklet.
This offered a four-page history of the choir, detailing a busy and fruitful decade as well as extensive programme notes by Indra Hughes positively bubbling with enthusiasm, scholarship and quirky detail.
No composer could have been more appropriate for the occasion than Handel and celebrations set off with Let God Arise, one of the composer's Chandos Anthems.
Hughes set a lively pace with the players of AK Barok and soon a full-voiced choir was making the most of Holy Trinity Cathedral's echoing spaces.
From the tonal finesse of Praise be the Lord to jubilant, resounding Allelujas, Musica Sacra was on top form. Handel's G minor Organ Concerto Opus 7 no 5 put the spotlight on the Donald Barriball Memorial Chamber Organ, which has become something of a staple star in the choir's concerts.
Hughes was at his sprightly and mellifluous best on the keyboard, laying out flights of fancy over the second movement's inexorable bass line and underlining the wit and grace of John Wells' specially written cadenza.
After interval, Handel's inspired setting of John Dryden's Ode for St Cecilia's Day put choir, orchestra and soloists through their paces. Pepe Becker, who had not quite conveyed an air of rejoicing in her Chandos solo, shone in this work, especially when she was accompanied by more intimate instrumental groupings.
Her dueting with flautist Sally Tibbles was intensely moving, and her ability to make Handelian flourishes seem as natural as folk-song was astounding; her ability to draw the purest, bell-like note seemingly out of the stratosphere was breathtaking.
Iain Tetley, most impressive in the earlier anthem, remained in strong voice, especially when trumpeter Peter Reid joined him.
But it was not all Handelian swagger. It takes an artist of the highest sensitivity to invest Dryden's final mention of Cecilia "the fair disdainful Dame" with as much tenderness and unaffected beauty of tone as this tenor did.
Musica Sacra seems assured of an even more successful second decade.
