Under the baton of musical director, Annemarie Philipps, the concert started with Felix Mendelssohn´s Psalm 42, written on the composer´s honeymoon and considered to be one of his finest works. The second piece was Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March No.4, an upbeat ceremonial march, which shone with the orchestra´s enhanced brass section. The Choir, Orchestra and both soloists then performed a selection of arias and Choruses from Mendelssohn’s oratorio, “Elijah” that tells the story from the Old Testament of the contest between the prophets of Baal, the false god of the Canaanites and Elijah, who was a prophet of, Jehovah, each beseeching their God to send relief to the drought in Israel. The choirs emotional performance received praise from the audience.

The close of the evening was an arrangement of part of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony which was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society of London for £50. The last movement of this innovative masterpiece, “Ode to Joy”, has been adopted as the anthem of the European Union.

The group´s next concert is next Sunday at 8pm 2017 in the Iglesia Nuestra Senora de la Merced in Sotogrande. For more details call 952475840 or 659111526 or visit www.colmus.org

The society is always looking for new instrumentalists and singers to join them. To find out more, contact the Secretary Driekje Lawson secretaria@colmus.org or call 952775492