St John the Evangelist, Hollington, 29 July 2019

A welcome return for the Parkinsongsters to St John’s for another afternoon of popular songs and music-making.

Introducing the event, Jane Metcalfe said we were in for an afternoon of English songs but immediately launched into When Johnny comes marching home! This slightly tongue-in-cheek approach set the tone for a highly enjoyable session which had opened with The Sun has got his hat on and concluded with Bring me sunshine. In between we had folk songs – Oh no John and Linden Lea – alongside extended excerpts from The Pirates of Penzance and a wistful rendition of Steal Away. We were back in America towards the end of the programme with a selection of mid-twentieth century hits following an up-beat version of Bernstein’s America.

To give the singers a slight respite we heard two solo operatic arias – Vivaldi’s Vieni, vieni o mio diletto and Mozart’s popular Voi che sapete – before the choir gave us La chi darem la mano from Don Giovanni.

A large audience on a warm afternoon were understandably enthusiastic, which was certainly deserved, for all involved, not least Jane Metcalfe galvanising her forces but also Duncan Reid at the piano. We look forward to a regular series here.