Just to say what a delight to hear your Faure's Requiem today. A well chosen piece for the choir and performed with care, commitment, confidence and aplomb - not least your baritone soloist. The acoustics helped but balance was good - well done tenors and basses. Applause well deserved in presence of choir.
- D Lennox 11/11/2024
A rare railway southward journey to St Marie's Cathedral in Sheffield - within "the city of many choirs" - took me last evening to a glorious live concert under Robert Webb's inspired direction with his splendid Sterndale Singers. After two short motets from an earlier age, we heard music of Faure - the "Cantique" and the Requiem.
The singers mastered the whole Social Distancing business in an exemplary manner. The fine Lewis organ was beautifully played by Jonathan Gooing. Warm thanks too go to Solo Baritone Peter Taylor, like Robert a stalwart of the Sheffield musical community, to David Milsom who played the violin obbligato in the Sanctus - a lovely touch, that - and the ethereal soloist in Pie Jesu was choir member Pat Wareham.
The nave contained a goodly number of folk clearly particularly appreciative, like myself, of this very special trail-blazing opportunity on the "road out of Lockdown".
- Dr Simon Lindley (27/6/2021 via Facebook)
It was a pleasure to be with you and to witness a full throated and enthusiastic performance full of colour, nuance and that particularly English ability to pronounce final consonants. An ambitious programme executed with flair. My only regret of course that my fellow Figeacois were not in attendance as they missed an evening of quality. I hope that the enthusiasm of our applause made up for their absence.
I particularly enjoyed 'Le Baylère' which reminded me of the Cantaloube 'Chants d'Auvergne' which did the rounds in the eighties. I also found Robert's 'Sing To The Lord' very stylish and I wondered if he had done any settings of French text?
All best wishes to you all for the remainder of the tour and I hope that our paths will cross again.
- Audience member - Sep 2017
