It was a busy week for Tenby Male Choir when, on their usual practice nights, they presented two concerts instead. The first, on Tuesday, was in answer to an invitation from Tenby Golf Club. It was their Open Week, an annual Springtime event which brings many keen golfers and supporters to the town. It seemed at first as though choir might outnumber audience, but, by the time the choristers had formed themselves into some kind of order, most of the seats around the clubhouse were occupied.

A varied programme contained such rousing Welsh numbers as ‘Rachie’, ‘Llef’, and ‘Men of Harlech’, as well as the more contemplative ‘Shenandoah’ and ‘Anthem’ .

‘Working Man’ reminded us of Wales’s industrial past, paying tribute to those who worked underground, and gave a chance for soloists Kevin and John to step out of line nd sing one of the verses. Other solo parts came from Gavin and Eric during ‘Diolch I’r Ior’, a powerful item being presented to an audience for the first time.

Fun was provided by ‘Grandfather’s Clock’, and Eric’s inimitable style in presenting ‘The Hippopotamus Song’, both of which invited audience participation. Flanders and Swann may be long gone, but every generation knows the songs they made famous.

During the interval, the early successes of the golfing tournament were announced and presentations made, before the music resumed, with many more favourites before the closing National Anthems. Even then, some hadn’t heard enough, and a group of the choir were persuaded to sing ‘Myfanwy’. This song, unaccompanied, provided a memorable closing note to a pleasant event, which had the extra bonus of presenting views out across the greens as the sun began to set on a lovely evening.

On Thursday, the choir were back in their familiar surroundings at St. Mary’s Church. Quite a crowd lined up outside long before the doors were due to open, and the church filled quickly with an enthusiastic and appreciative audience from many areas of Britain and many parts of the world.

David Blackmore was again the competent MC for the evening, adding to our enjoyment with the results of his research into the songs. I’m sure the Canadian visitors were delighted with the reference to their fellow countryman, Leonard Cohen, before the choir sang his composition ‘Hallelujah’. It’s a familiar song to many these days, but Ian Williams’s arrangement succeeds in giving it a dimension and passion far beyond any other that I’ve heard, and the choir’s moving rendition of ‘Bring Him Home’ from the musical ‘Les Miserables’ brought some of the listeners to tears that night.

In the two intervals, Paul Varallo delighted us with his selection of four songs, bringing familiar tunes to life with words in Welsh, English and Sicilian… this must be unique in Tenby! Paul told us of the challenge he is undertaking later this year when he runs in a half-marathon to raise money for Cancer Research, a charity close to his heart, and opportunity was given to donate to this cause on departure from the church.

‘Diolch I’r Ior’ appeared again that evening, as did ‘Calm is the Sea’, another fresh introduction into this season’s repertoire. Although sitting and hearing it in the confines of St. Mary’s, my thoughts winged away to Cornwall as I remembered the first time I heard the song. It was in Falmouth last year where the choir were to take part in the Cornish Festival of Male Voice Choirs. A group of us decided to go across the Harbour to St. Mawes and, as we waited to embark, the lady who had sold us our tickets asked if they would sing something. Seven choristers quickly formed themselves into a group and sang that song. I’m sure I’ll never again be able to hear it without being ‘transported’ back to that sunny Cornish harbourside. But that is what this choral singing is about, isn’t it… to touch the emotions and make the mundane fade away, even for a short time.

Thursday’s audience showed by their reactions their appreciation and enjoyment of a wonderful concert.

The choir’s season continues with their next concert at St. Mary’s on Thursday, June 21. More details may be found at: www.tenbymalechoir.org

C.H.