Verdi Requiem

Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, St Edmunds Roundhay, Saturday 13th June 2026:

by Geoffrey Mogridge
published: 17 Jun 2026 in Wharfedale Observer

GENERATIONS of Leeds music lovers have experienced Verdi’s awe-inspiring setting of the Catholic requiem mass, given by orchestras and massed choirs in the visual and acoustic splendour of Leeds Town Hall.

Last Saturday’s pared down arrangement of Verdi’s Requiem created a somewhat different visceral experience, though just as deeply affecting. David Hill, music director of Leeds Philharmonic Chorus and the Bach Choir of London had commissioned Richard Blackford to produce a version suitable for performance in churches or smaller halls. There would be a full choir and vocal soloists performing the work in its entirety, but with no orchestra – just two pianos, organ and percussion.

It seemed strange at first, to hear the opening bars of the Kyrie for chorus and soloists, softly accompanied by the organ – minus orchestral strings, woodwind or brass. The superbly blended vocal quartet then began, one by one – the bass Andrew Greenan, tenor Iain Milne, soprano Rachel Speirs and mezzo soprano Amy Holyland. A richness of textures soon became evident and my ears were tuned to the new soundworld.

The Dies Irae (Day of Wrath) still emerged in all its terrifying ferocity with the spine-tingling attack of the 120 singers of Leeds Philharmonic Chorus, trained and conducted by Joseph Judge. They were backed by the mercurial piano accompaniment of Russell Medley and Christopher Pulleyn, with interjections from the timpani, played by Mark Concar, plus an awesome big bass ‘Verdi drum’ played by Jan Bradley.

I only missed the full orchestra in the Tuba Mirum. Its two minutes of explosive orchestral and choral energy embellished by eight trumpets is the most thrilling part of the entire work. Just three trumpets would have sufficed to add an extra frisson of excitement to this performance in the towering late Victorian church of St Edmund’s. Otherwise, the instrument with Neil Taylor at the console, supplied a broad spectrum of orchestral colours, in contrast to the brilliant, if more brittle sounding pianos and percussion.

Conductor Joseph Judge, chorus master of the Phil, takes the honours for this splendid performance which ran for an optimum time of 83 minutes. Joseph’s mastery of the immense structure and flow of Verdi’s great work created an unforgettable occasion. A delighted capacity audience responded with rapturous applause.