Last Friday, Tenby Arts Club was pleased to welcome the Penfro Minstrels with a superb programme of Christmas music and poetry. The Penfo Minstrels consist of Marion Goodfellow, the musical director, Jeff Hill, Marion's brother, Helen Stoddard, Eleanor Hodgeson, the youngest member and Helen's niece, and Peter Proudlove, all on violin, with Julie Richie and Malcolm Thomas on cello.

The evening began with the oldest carol ever played by the minstrels, an old French Nativity carol. Next Marion read the first half of the Ballad of the Breadman, a poem retelling the nativity by Charles Causley. A Henry Purcell piece followed, Sound the Trumpet, which, despite its name, was written as a countertenor duet for voices. This was followed by a Handel cantata, Many Arrows Pierce My Heart (HWV197).

Jeff Hill read part of Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales, concerning the small boys singing Good King Wenceslas, and the dry voice joining in from behind the door. Mendelssohn's Lift Thine Eyes was played next by the trio of ladies on violin. The first movement of Handel's Gloria was then performed - this piece had disappeared and was discovered in the vaults of the Royal Academy in 2000. It has been recorded by Emma Kirby, and was beautifully played by the Penfro Minstrels.

Two contrasting views of winter followed. First Malcolm Thomas read William Shakespeare's Winter from Love's Labour's Lost. Second, the orchestra played that well known piece, Vivaldi's Largo Winter from the Four Seasons. Possibly the difference in climate between Venice and England accounted for the different feel of the pieces!

Eleanor Hodgeson played the solo of the third movement of Vivaldi's Violin Concerto in A minor, and showed her prowess, especially considering the instruction is 'as fast as possible'! Julie Richie read the final part of Dylan Thomas's A Child's Christmas in Wales. The group played a piece originally for piano especially arranged for them by Marion, Mendelssohn's The Venetian Gondola's Song (Op 19 no.6), giving an impression of drifting gently along the canals in a gondola. This contrasted with another piece by Mendelssohn, Andante: Characteristic Piece (Op 7 No 1).

A humorous interlude followed, with Marion leading the audience in singing the 12 bugs of Christmas, a parody of the 12 days of Christmas based on a call centre phone operator talking to customers about setting up their new hi-tech Christmas presents.

Three violins and a cello then played Ponchielli's Dance of the Hours from La Giaconda, followed by the whole group giving a stirring rendition of a Lithuanian Dance, traditionally played at ceremonies and celebrations. Another rearrangement by Marion followed, this time of Felix Bernard's Winter Wonderland - at a higher pitch than with voices, and with sleigh bells ably contributed by Julie.

It came as a relief to the audience that the next number only involved them needing to Fa la la, as Jeff gave us a politically correct version of Deck the Halls! Next came the song voted the number one favourite Christmas song in America, Mel Torme's The Christmas Song, better known as Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire. The final piece was Gounod's March of the Marionettes, used as the theme tune to The Alfred Hitchcock Hour.

Phillip Marsden expressed the opinion of the audience when he said that the Penfro Minstrels had managed to outdo their previous outstanding performance when they came to the Arts Club last year.

This (Friday) evening will be the Christmas Celebration, featuring items by members of the Arts Club, wine and nibbles. This will be at 7.30 at St. Johns Church Hall as usual. The Arts Club will then be taking a seasonal break until January 10, when the season continues with A Life in Opera by John Mitchinson and Maureen Guy. All are welcome to attend!

A.D.