FOLLOWING the initial concert on the Friday, and an excellent organ recital by Hugh Davies the following morning, the weekend Centenary Celebration of Gerald Finzi, organised by Cumbria Choral Initiative, continued on Saturday evening with an enterprising concert of choral and orchestral music by Finzi and his contemporaries in Kendal Parish Church.

Three choral works were presented by the Millennium Chorus and the Lancashire Chamber Orchestra - Gerald Finzi's jubilant setting of the Magnificat, Vaughan Williams's Benedicite and Finzi's Ceremonial Ode For St Cecilia.

The chorus sang commendably throughout the evening - diction was clear and the ensemble tight.

Generally the sound was well-balanced and well-focused, although the soprano line sounded a little underpowered at times.

The orchestral support was firm and generally the balance between chorus and orchestra was well-maintained.

Soprano soloist Anna Markland, deputising at short notice for Joan Rodgers who was indisposed, gave a confident interpretation of the solo role in Vaughan Williams's Benedicite, and Nicholas Hurndall-Smith was impressive as the tenor soloist in Finzi's ode in honour of St Cecilia.

Instrumentally, the high point of the evening was Peter Dixon's sensitive interpretation of the cello solo in Finzi's dramatic and technically demanding cello concerto.

Sadly, Elgar's well-known and hauntingly beautiful Introduction and Allegro for Strings received a much less secure performance from the orchestra later in the programme.

Ian Jones and his committee are to be congratulated for organising such an imaginative weekend's programme in celebration of a composer with a highly personal style whose glorious music, so often denigrated by critics in the late 20th century, is now being given the attention it deserves.