St Thomas-on-The Bourne Church in Farnham was the meeting place for two choirs in a feast of music, mainly by Benjamin Britten, with pieces also by Franz Biebl and Jonathan Dove.

The choir of St Thomas-on-The Bourne, conducted by Jordan Theis, joined forces with the Waverley Singers under Richard Pearce, with Philip Scriven on the organ, to perform to a packed church in a wonderful concert for a dark, dingy winter night on December 6.

The evening started with the St Thomas choir at the west end of the church, and the Waverleys at the east, in Britten’s Hymn to the Virgin, with the choirs singing to each other across the audience. The piece was written in 1930 when Britten was just 16 and at the start of his musical journey at Gresham’s School.

Next was an Ave Maria by Franz Biebl, a German composer whose life spanned the 20th century. This piece gained popularity in the 1960s and is scored for choir and trio, with the choristers - including some very young voices - giving a very good account of themselves in this a cappella piece.

The choirs then performed one of Britten’s better-known cantatas, Rejoice in the Lamb. The words, set for choir and four soloists, are taken from a poem by Christopher Smart and depict praise and worship of God by different aspects of nature.

We first hear of a Cat called Jeoffrey, whose virtues are sung of by the St Thomas trebles, followed by a Mouse, venerated by an alto - and then a tenor depicts the beauty of flowers in song.

There is some fast text to be sung in the first section when Nimrod, “the mighty hunter”, is asked to “bind a leopard to the altar”; this was well managed by the choirs. The piece closes with a Hallelujah reprise from the opening.

More Britten followed, with the Corpus Christi Carol, taken from a larger series of themes, A Boy is Born: another composition from his early years. The words, from a 15th-century anonymous source, were sung beautifully by the young choristers from St Thomas.

Seek Him that Maketh Seven Stars, by the contemporary composer Jonathan Dove, closed the first half. More associated with opera than Christmas music, Dove was employed by Glyndebourne Opera in the 1980s.

This carol uses words from scripture (Amos 5:8) and invites the audience to “Seek him”, with the music pulsing and moving towards the resolution. Some thoughtful singing made for a splendid ending to part one of the concert.

The final work, Britten’s Saint Nicolas, is a grand piece for choir and soloists, with the tenor Peter Davoren sounding marvellous in what is a tricky narrative to sing.

Written for Lancing College, the cantata text was provided by Eric Crozier and looks at the life and character of St Nicolas. Ably supported by the Chameleon Arts Ensemble, the combined choirs rose to the occasion in a thrilling end to the evening, and were rewarded with a standing ovation.

Gordon Tyerman