In 1971 a new kid arrived on the block in Rye – Lesley Brownbill moved to live with her family in Love Lane. She was an enthusiastic professional musician, and within a very short time was talking about starting a choir. Which she did, and there are four founder members still singing in that choir.
On Saturday, October 8 there was a 50th jubilee concert performed to an audience of about 90 people, in St Mary’s Church, Rye. Thanks to Lesley’s experience and dedication, the singers have a purity of sound and diction which is instantly recognisable.
The concert began with a performance of the Requiem by Faure. This was a beautiful rendition, very atmospheric and emotional, with the soprano solo exquisitely sung by Grace Constable. The baritone solo was sung by ex-mayor Jonathan Breeds with his customary confidence and clarity.
After a short interval, the choir returned to sing shorter pieces reflecting the journey that the choir has been on. The very first part song was there, plus madrigals, a chorus from Brahms’s German Requiem, three ladies-only songs with a really rousing one called The Wedding Ring which we first heard at a competition in Blackpool, two extracts from The Pirates of Penzance and the concert concluded with EVERYONE there joining together to sing Vaughan Williams’ setting of The Old Hundredth Psalm.
This is what Lesley does, – she gets people singing.
Also performing were regular accompanist Richard Eldridge on piano and organ, Elizabeth Rooke and Clive Jones, who gave us a piano duet from the Dolly Suite and together accompanied the Brahms, and Richard played Rhosymedre, a Welsh hymn tune arranged by R Vaughn Williams.
It was a truly lovely concert, and also a great reunion for previous members of Ryesingers, some of whom were able to join the choir and others were in the audience, to celebrate this wonderful achievement. As an ex-Ryesinger, I was proud to be there.
Image Credits: Paul Whiteman .