elgar

"In the orchestral Prelude they immediately conjured up a characterful sound world, from the wistful, slightly melancholic tones of viola and lower woodwind and the heavenly colours of divisi strings right through to the sonorous resonance of full brass, all clearly delineated in the wonderful acoustic of the hall."

Richard Balcombe, Bishop's Stortford Independent

"Bishop’s Stortford Choral Society bring serenity and joy in times of uncertainty."

Bishop's Stortford Independent

"Richard Brain, the choral society’s music director, had chosen a lovely mix of Christmas music to complement the Rutter Requiem ... and the choir sang with both gusto and finesse as the melodies demanded in Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols."

Bishop's Stortford Independent

"Composer Jonathan Rathbone was ... thrilled to see the choir enjoy the songs and really bringing out the scenes of the joys and sorrows of the fairground."

Bishop's Stortford Independent

 "Credit must be given to the music director, Richard Brain ... for choosing this oratorio and guiding the 70-strong choir to a powerful and moving performance."

 "Mendelssohn had serious anxieties about the first performance of Elijah at a Birmingham Music Festival in 1846. Had he been in the Bishop’s Stortford audience last week he would have gone home a very contented man. "

Sinead Corr, Bishop's Stortford Independent

"Conductor Richard Brain mustered the joint forces of the choral society, a quartet of splendid soloists and the Bishop’s Stortford sinfonia with great panache and skill."

Trevor Hounslow (Artistic Director Thaxted Festival), Bishop's Stortford Independent

"Bishop's Stortford Choral Society together with Hertfordshire Philharmonia, soloists Helen Stanley and Nick Beever, all under the baton of Richard Brain, proved they were indeed music makers of the highest calibre in their splendid and uplifting concert."

Christopher Benham, Herts and Essex Observer

"Richard Brain has clearly worked his choir hard; the attack was firm and precise, the words were clear and concentration was maintained throughout."

Richard Lewin,​​​ Herts and Essex Observer