BRITTEN, a pacifist who felt vehemently about the tragic waste of lives of people killed in war action, combines the words of the Requiem Mass, with poetry by Wilfred Owen, in his awe-inspiring War Requiem.

The first disconcerting tolling of many bells and the reverent murmuring of Requiem aeternam by the Festival Chorus, starkly contrasted by the choristers (singing from afar) Te decet hymnus set the tone for a truly wonderful and awesome performance.

Under Richard Hickox's masterful baton, all the musicians rose to the highest artistic level.

The Festival Chorus, in splendid voice, and responsive to every direction Hickox gave, sang the exquisitely harmonised, unaccompanied Dies irae with impeccable tuning.

Britten's brilliant use of sound texture was clearly heard in the muttering of Pleni sunt coeli and a totally different texture - this time radiant - was produced in In paradisum.

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra was superb: brass had a resounding field day, especially in Quantus tremor with the rhythm and words of the Chorus very precise.

The three soloists were all excellent. Susan Bullock - an extremely dramatic soprano, added great effect at such moments as the Libera me, when her voice soared above the anguished cacophony of sound produced by the Chorus and Orchestra.

Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor), a most expressive interpreter of words, gave many beautiful examples: his final note of Dona nobis pacem, or the phrase 'here is no cause to mourn'.

Roderick Williams (baritone) who with his rich sonorous voice is able to express mood so vividly, as in 'my hands were loath and cold'.

The duets between the tenor and bass were especially sensitively sung and the final 'Let us sleep now' was full of grief, but also hope.

This War Requiem was a profoundly moving triumph.

Jill Hopkins