A SEA SYMPHONY, SALISBURY CATHEDRAL

BEHOLD, the sea crashed into Salisbury Cathedral on Saturday night. Vaughan Williams' Sea Symphony is something of an epic work for any orchestra, chorus and soloists, and Salisbury Musical Society with Chelsea Opera Group Orchestra under conductor David Halls, did this magnificent choral work proud.

Using words taken from poems by the American poet Walt Whitman, the symphony has four incredibly differing movements, ranging from the triumphant and thrilling operatic opening, A Song For All Seas, All Ships to the moving duet in the final movement, The Explorers.

Vaughan Williams' love of the poetry he has set to music is obvious with its orchestral tone painting conjuring up images of the sea, undulating waves and all.

Written around 1906 when the British Empire was at its height, the poems are littered with patriotic fervour and the orchestra roused to the occasion with some superb and thrilling brass playing in particular.

Salisbury Cathedral was perfectly suited for this exciting, large-scale choral tribute to the sea, matched by a full-voiced musical society.

Both soloists and chorus sang with clarity throughout, no mean feat.

In the slower second movement, On the Beach at Night Alone, baritone Gavin Carr conveyed perfectly the sense of wonder in the lines, As I watch the bright stars shining, I think a thought of the clef of the universes and of the future. The baritone sang this calm and reflective second movement beautifully and sensitively.

Soprano Gillian Webster was also magnificent throughout, with skilfully controlled singing, and again, every word crystal clear.

Stirring stuff and enough to shiver me timbers'.

- Anne Morris