THE Tavistock Sings! Festival was an unqualified success. For five days there was a feast of music in the town.
It began with several choirs performing in Tavistock Parish Church, first individually, then coming together for a fine performance of Andrew Wilson?s new work ?The Tavistock Witch?, with Hannah Pedley and Ian Hardy as soloists.
The next day Hannah Pedley gave a song recital at Kelly College, with Martyn Parke accompanying.
She has a warm presence and a very expressive voice, well used in a variety of music from John Ireland to Britten to Gershwin.
In the second half she showed herself equally at home in opera and musical, while Martyn Parke delighted the audience with Debussy?s Clair de Lune and a jazz medley.
On the Saturday the Ten Tors Orchestra, under their conductor Simon Ible, gave a festival gala concert in the church. They began with a lively interpretation of Mozart?s overture to the Magic Flute, with a fine balance between the comedy and more serious moments.
Nimrod, from Elgar?s Enigma Variations, was given a polished and energetic performance, then Nadia Myerscough came as the soloist in Mendelssohn?s violin concerto.
This was exquisite playing of a difficult work, the violin soaring apparently effortlessly, with the orchestra playing with the greatest assurance behind her.
The final work, Vaughan Williams? 5th Symphony, is often known as a symphony for peace. It is an evocative work, given great breadth of treatment by an orchestra considerably larger than usual.
The festival continued on the Sunday with Jacqui Dankworth and her musicians in the Town Hall, then a festival evensong in the Parish Church.
George Pratt, the BBC early music specialist, conducted a workshop on Thomas Tomkins on the Monday and a short concert of the work undertaken was given in the evening.
Simon Ible, the festival director, can be justly proud of having started an event in Tavistock that is quickly gathering in momentum and excellence.
FELICITY BARNABY