It is easy to lose St Giles’ Cathedral in the haze of the Mile, where every square inch is covered with thespians still needing to sell the last few tickets. In this miasma it can be easy to overlook the gothic backdrops for the street performers and theatrical installations: St Giles’ Cathedral, in all its majesty, is one such place. It therefore deserves a mention just for its surprising beauty upon entry for this particular event: a chamber choir performance by Coroedina. As with all music that plays with acoustics, the choice of location is a very prudent one. The architecture of the building perfectly echoes the music sung within its midst.
Eric Whitacre is an American composer and the focus of this selection of pieces by the choir. Whitacre’s music often uses peculiar harmonies and exploration of the sounds from only a few words. The music is beautiful (if at times almost too dissonant, potentially a flaw on the choir’s part due to its unattractive clang) and although the performers sometimes lack stage presence or star power, they are talented and blend well both as a group of people and as a group of voices.
A fantastic evening of music, and a choir well worth keeping up with. Even if they are not performers, they are fantastic singers.
