Writing in the Express and Echo on 15 June 2007, Becky Moran said that a feast of music by one of Britain’s best-loved composers, performed by the City of London Sinfonia with the Exeter Festival Chorus, would fill Exeter Cathedral that night.
"The concert, which launches this year’s Exeter Summer Festival, celebrates the 150th anniversary of Sir Edward Elgar’s birth with a programme that includes his Cello Concerto in E Minor and The Music Makers. As an aperitif the solo cello, played by Alexander Baillie, and the chorus will perform John Tavener’s iconic and hauntingly beautiful Svyati. The concert will be conducted by the musical director of the Exeter Festival Chorus, Nigel Perrin.”
Nigel is quoted as follows:
“This is our big orchestral concert as part of Elgar’s 150th anniversary celebrations. We are doing Elgar’s famous cello concerto and a special piece by John Tavener for choir and cello.
“It has been a challenge to the choir to put two programmes” (this and the Summertime concert two weeks before) “together in one term, but we felt the Elgar concert wasn’t quite enough on its own.
“We have built up a very good following, especially for the big concerts in the Cathedral.”
