From the first notes to the final susurrations of the orchestra, this was a wonderful performance.
The choir displayed the expertise and discipline for which it is known and, despite the heat, the orchestra were an integral part of the pieces in which it participated.
The opening item, ‘Is it nothing to you?’ by Ouseley was notable for its crisp, clear finish and beautiful articulation – I could actually follow the text from listening to the singers! This was followed by the harmonically beautiful ‘Caliganaverunt oculi mei’ by Victoria and the moving ‘Vide homo by di Lasso’.
The Australian premiere of James MacMillan’s ‘Tenebrae factae sunt’ was a tour de force. Again, the excellent diction of the choir was appreciated as it enabled a full enjoyment of this complex piece. The reverberating finale was, as described in the program notes – “a roar of agony”, which reached into one’s heart.
The composer himself was present for the world premiere of ‘Nasce la gioia mia’. This is an adaptation developed for the Sydney Chamber Choir from an earlier work Missa Solis – Requiem for Eli written after the death of the composer’s son. It was a change to hear a treatment of grief and immortality that was not liturgical in origin and yet fitted with the liturgical works of the program, which were drawn from the Holy Week services. The intensely personal nature of the particular grief that was behind this work was apparent and added to its impact.
The last item was Heinrich Schulz’s ‘7 Last Words’. The integration of the choir and orchestra in this piece displayed the skills and expertise of both singers and players, including a promising countertenor in Chris Hopkins. Some highlights from the wonderful string playing included the violas and their notes of grief, in the Woman, behold thy son! … Behold, thy mother! movement, and the wonderful denouement of the last movement, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, when the strings alone finish the work. The ‘ethereal’ singers, Megan Cronin and Liane Papantoiniou, also deserve a mention, not least because singers in that range seem rare these days.
Special mention must be made the of excellent program notes, which revealed a depth of scholarship that certainly enriched my enjoyment of the concert.
The concert, ‘Seven Last Words’ with the Sydney Chamber Choir and the Sydney Camerata Chamber Orchestra, was performed at the Great Hall, Sydney University on the afternoon of Sunday 24th March 2013.
© Toni Adams
25th March, 2013
Tags: Sydney Stage Reviews-SEVEN LAST WORDS, Sydney Chamber Choir, Sydney Camerata Chamber Orchestra, Great Hall Sydney University, Sydney Arts Guide, Toni Adams