Diane Marshall performs ‘Let the Bright Seraphim’
Recently, I was very fortunate to be introduced to, and have become friends with, the wonderful and very talented former opera singer and singer, Diane Marshall. She lives not far from mum’s in Filey on the North Yorkshire coast.
Diane studied singing and piano at the Northern School of music. She has performed in opera such as Vaughan Williams ‘Hugh the Drover’, ‘Fenena’ in Verdi’s opera, ‘Queen of the Night’ from Mozart’s opera ‘The Magic Flute’ and also Purcell opera and more. She now spends her time passing on her training to others who want to learn.
A couple of weeks ago, we listened to one of Diane’s performances and I asked if we could record it and therefore be able have a digital copy that Diane can now keep and share as her only other recording is on the original cassette tape.
Let the bright seraphim
The recording is from an evening concert held at the Holy Innocents Parish Church, Thornhill, West Yorkshire approximately 40 years ago. The church was known for giving to charitable causes, it closed in 2011.
Diane tells me “The concert was a mixture of Baroque music for Orchestra instrumentalists, Choir and Vocalist.
Aria "Let the Bright Seraphim" is taken from Handel's Oratorio Samson. It is a triumphant joyous aria and an expression, at the end of the Oratorio, of Samson's life and ultimate death. In a baroque style with a da-capo repeat; accompanied with Trumpets and Strings.”
Asking Diane how this happened, she said “I was friendly with the person who had organised the event and was conducting the orchestra, I was supposed to turn up before the evening concert to join another soprano to sing 2 unknown Handel duets, however she was taken ill and so, he asked me if I knew this particular aria. I'd sung this piece at music college for the Oratorio college award and knew it very well. This is how I got to sing it again with orchestra and the Huddersfield choral society in the background. What an experience that was!”.
