The Oxford Bach Choir broke new ground last Saturday – and had they not done so, one might have suspected more than a touch of midsummer madness – with a programme of Gershwin (a Gershwin Portrait comprising many of his greatest hits, arranged by Mac Huff) followed by Kern and Hammerstein’s Show Boat in an abridged concert performance. There may have been the occasional Oxford accent on the Broadway stage, but the overwhelming experience, delivered with crispness and rhythmic verve, and much enjoyed and appreciated by the audience, was of a choir responding with enthusiasm and musical skill to this repertoire far removed from its staple fare of the classical choral masterpieces.

This could not have been achieved without the clear direction of the conductor, Timothy Byram-Wigfield, to whom special credit is due as he found himself, at short notice, accompanying throughout as one of just two pianists as well as directing. The choir rose admirably to the challenge of frequently singing undirected while their conductor was having to concentrate on the piano.

The second pianist was the choir’s regular accompanist, Benjamin Sheen, also at short notice, who combined effortlessly with Byram-Wigfield to provide unfailingly idiomatic accompaniments which made light of the difficulties of synchronising two pianos.

The Gershwin Portrait included many of his greatest hits (Rhapsody in Blue, Strike up the Band and Summertime, among them), and how good it was to be reminded that Show Boat contains some of the greatest songs ever written for the stage.

The enjoyable soloists were Tara Bungard (soprano), Jonathan Bungard (tenor), Phillip Browne (an authentic deep bass whose Ol’ Man River was the high spot of the evening) and, most idiomatic of all, Melanie Marshall (mezzo soprano).

DAVID WATSON