Carol Concert. The Great Hall. St Bartholomews Hospital. 13th December 2021
AWC visit to a Christmas Concert, The Great Hall, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital – 13 December 2021
Our Worshipful Master welcomed a merry band of members to Vecchio Parioli, at the Barbican, where we had an excellent meal, with lively conversation.
We then adjourned for our short walk to The Great Hall, at St Bartholomew's Hospital, joining other AWC members, making us 24 in total - a very good turnout.
To get to The Great Hall one enters through medieval doors and up a very grand staircase with stunning artwork by Hogarth on the stair walls. The Hall itself is a Grade I listed building - most impressive.
The orchestra and choir were founded by Professor John Lumley, who is a life member of the AWC, and he was our conductor for the evening. Also in attendance were our immediate Past Master Rachelle Goldberg playing the violin, and our current Master Allan Fallshaw in the choir.
We were entertained by a selection of secular and religious festive music. The first half included music from Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker suite and from the Strauss Family. The latter's polkas appeared to be accompanied by much silent tapping of feet by audience members!
We were replenished with mince pies and wine to whet our appetite for the second half: choruses from Handel's Messiah, Bach's Christmas Oratorio and then Christmas Carols.
The choir sang beautifully during the evening and were joined at the end by the audience to sing a selection of Christmas Carols: we joined in with great gusto.
We all left our delightful evening entertainment in a happy Christmas mood.
The Christmas concert, which was an outstanding success, was in aid of Bart's Cancer Unit.
Dave Brennan
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