Frome Symphony’s Christmas Concert at Christ Church last Sunday was a very happy and festive occasion.

The concert opened with three atmospheric carols by Vaughan Williams, played by the brass section, imaginatively playing from the lady-chapel. I felt immediately transported back through the centuries to an English Christmas long ago.

Stephen Marquiss, conductor and founder of Frome Symphony welcomed the audience and in his warm and friendly manner set the tone for a delightful afternoon’s music, played with love and care, but also informally, so that it truly was a family concert. When Frome Symphony give their Christmas concert next year, don’t hesitate to bring along young children: activity sheets were provided, and volunteers even had the opportunity to play jingle bells and triangle in the orchestra for Anderson’s “A Christmas Festival”.

It was a real pleasure to join in community carols accompanied by a full orchestra. There were plenty of special effects such as the rude wind’s wild lament in Good King Wenceslas, and the percussion section went to town in O Little Town of Bethlehem.

There were many musical treats in this Christmas stocking of a concert: the Pastoral Symphony, a rustic dance from Handel’s Messiah, Benoy’s An Overture for Christmas, colourful Rimsky Korsakov and surprising Schoenberg.

Interleaved were some fine readings by members of the orchestra of Christmas poetry.

Thank you Frome Symphony for your offering of Christmas cheer. Frome Symphony’s Christmas Concert at Christ Church last Sunday was a very happy and festive occasion.

Ann Burgess