IN the serene setting of Malvern Priory, a capacity audience - to the extent that programmes ran out - listened with obvious pleasure to the BFCS, with the Regency Sinfonia, leader Simon Chalk, an ensemble of professional instrumentalists drawn from some of our top class orchestras. Anthony Bradbury and Jeremy Patterson shared the conducting.

Monteverdi's Beatus vir caused momentary concern with some tentative entries in the initial stages, but confidence was soon established.

Three motets by Mozart were impeccably tuned and given thoughtful expression. The well-known Ave verum, with a refined string accompaniment, was sung with impressive long flowing phrases. Sancta Maria, Mater Dei was poised finely, the choir's easy tone and balance culminating in the closing Amen where the harmonic line of the gentlemen was decorated delicately by the ladies' more florid one.

Finzi's Magnificat was the high point of this concert.

Following a superb orchestral introduction, the choir sang with acute sensitivity, enunciating the words clearly and breathing life into the composer's wonderful harmonies and lyrical lines. The power and beauty of the men's singing when alone, the soaring high sopranos, the meaningful repetitions of 'Blessed', and further on of 'for ever', all contributed in detail, to making this a stirring and worthy interpretation.

Solo woodwind performers and a harp enhanced John Rutter's The Sprig of Thyme, a charming collection of folk song arrangements, in which the choir continued to sing with excellent tone quality and impeccable pitch.

The closing piece, Faure's Cantique de Jean Racine, using Rutter's exquisite accompaniment of strings and harp, was delivered with distinction, flowing easily and with perfectly suited dynamics, including exemplary pianissimo singing.

Jill Hopkins