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What the Reviewers Say

These are some reviews of our recent concerts. Don't just take their word for it though—come along to our concerts and hear for yourself!

“a CAPTIVATING
composition
of Christmas classics”

The spine tingling "Lux Aurumque" by Eric Whitacre brought the evening to a spectacular close, the finely tuned harmonies emanating a glow reflected in the lasting smile I carried away that evening.

Sara Beach, BBC North Yorkshire, November 2006

See the full review at the BBC North Yorkshire web site.

“the able and COMMANDING
performance of the choir
left me ELATED”

“My lack of familiarity with many of the works meant that I approached the evening with a slight tinge of trepidation, but the able and commanding performance of the choir left me elated and grateful that I was able to be there.”

Greg, BBC North Yorkshire, April 2006

See the full review at the BBC North Yorkshire web site.

“Under Nicholas Carter,
these 40 voices are going from STRENGTH
to STRENGTH”

“ONE of the trump cards that this festival regularly plays is to juxtapose new works with much older music, putting them into a perspective they might not otherwise enjoy.

We do well to be reminded that many composers throughout history have been avant-garde in their own day.

The Micklegate Singers have always had this broad-minded attitude, so they fitted neatly into the festival's ethos last night. Under Nicholas Carter, these 40 voices are going from strength to strength. They framed their sacred programme with two Tudor giants, Tallis and Taverner. Two motets from the 1575 Cantiones Sacrae immediately showed Tallis—born 500 years ago—using false relations, deliberate “wrong” notes which sound briefly very modern.

Only a confident choir tackles the 17th-century Lotti's eight-voice Crucifixus, whose harmony swirls treacherously. The Micklegates handled it with ease. [...]

Herbert Howells' Requiem pre-dates his best work. It is nevertheless extremely moving, and the choir was well inside its loveliest moments.

Tucapsky's Five Lenten Motets hark back to an age not far removed from Dvorak. But they, and Tippetts's spirituals, at least introduced some livelier rhythms.”

Martin Dreyer, York Evening Press, March 2005

“GREAT programming
beautiful SINGING”

“This is a choir that has been working hard recently, very hard. None could have pulled off a 20th century programme of this complexity without first shedding quite a few pounds in training. But this is also a choir with the backbone for the job. Under Nicholas Carter's expert tutelage, it has acquired a new confidence. Now three dozen voices - on the large side for a chamber group - it boasts a particularly solid bass line, with some deep basses giving its sound a wondrous underpinning.

Giles Swayne's ‘Missa Tiburtina’ (1985), despite its Tivoli origins, sports African influences which make it a touch too exciting for liturgical use. From the stabbing consonants of its Kyrie, through the thrumming syncopation of its Benedictus, set against surprising interjections of more formal harmony, it is riveting stuff. The Micklegates took it in their stride and the sopranos even had enough in hand to haul up to a high C near the end.

Kenneth Leighton's ‘What Love Is This Of Thine?’ made a lovely, flowing opener, besides setting a seasonal tone. Knut Nystedt's surround-sound Bach, with the singers in a large semi-circle, entranced the ear. The wintry effects of Poulenc's ‘Un Soir De Neige’ were chilling indeed, and miniatures by Holst, Andrew Carter and John Paynter maintained a similarly thrilling standard. Great programming, beautiful singing.”

Martin Dreyer, York Evening Press, December 2004

“Had this CONCERT been a CD,
I would have put it
STRAIGHT BACK ON”

“Had this concert called ‘Elizabethan Connections’ been a CD, I would have put it straight back on again. These are not professionals although the precision and vivacity of singing and the delicious textures of harmonies suggested otherwise.”

Michael Hickling, Yorkshire Post, July 2001

“The choir continues to maintain its REPUTATION
in CONTEMPORARY styles ”

“The Choir made excellent use of the clean expansive acoustic and gave Byrd's ‘Veni Sancte Spiritus’ prayerful treatment. The melodic lines of Harvey's ‘Come Holy Ghost’ appeared magically as if from the choral equivalent of clouds of incense. The choir continues to maintain its reputation in contemporary styles.”

Martin Dreyer, York Evening Press, May 2002