Paul McCreesh |
Last night, as part of the Spitalfields
Music Winter Festival the Gabrieli
Consort, along with the Copenhagen
Royal Chapel Choir, performed a programme of carols. But not your usual
selection of carols (although some of words might be familiar) – instead Paul McCreesh
chose a set of old and new carols based mostly on mediaeval texts. Paul
described his choice of carols as being 'beautiful, approachable but serious' and they were by turns sweet lullabies and rousing celebrations.
Victorian improvements included bricking up the lower
windows and removing the galleries, which unfortunately destroyed its
structural integrity. Two world wars later St Leonard’s was no longer safe and
had to be closed. It has been recently rebuilt but is still a work in progress.
The restored organ, clock and ceilings are a counterpoint to the peeling
paintwork, misfit furniture, and shabby air. While the fabulous acoustics mean
that it is in demand as a music and theatre venue, the church and congregation
continue their primary role in the community (tonight is their carol service).
Evenings such as last night in partnership with the
Spitalfields Music Festival honour St Leonard’s religious and artistic roots -
the whole concert was to be in sympathy with the old and new of the venue and
the renewal of Christmas and the turning of the year. There was a brief
pre-concert talk about the Spitalfields Music Festival by trustee Helen Fraser
who thanked the patrons in the audience (amongst whom there were some celebrity
faces) and described some of the ongoing projects supported by the Festival –
and then the concert began.
We were treated to added extras right from the start. A
setting of Adam lay ybounden by Matthew
Martin (b. 1976) written only 6 years ago began the concert with a
Whitacresque soundscape. This was followed by an anonymous 13th
century setting based on Veni, veni Emanuel. Although this is a well known
tune, the composer arranged it beautifully for solo, unison and split voices –
here hauntingly performed by the ladies. Herbert Howells (1892-1923) setting of Long, Long ago ended the first set.
An anonymous 15th century setting of the lullaby Lullay, lullay: Als I lay on Yoolis night, sung by one of the male altos, had
some nicely placed ornamentation especially bringing out ‘Gabriels greeting’. Francis Pott’s (b. 1957) Balulalow may
have been written in 2009 but it used text credited to James, John, and Robert
Wedderburn (three brothers from Dundee who wrote collections of sacred songs
based on popular ballads in the mid 16th century). This arch form
carol showcased a floating soprano line, drifting above the choir.
The ladies sang in unison for the 14th /15th
century Song of the Nun’s of Chester (Qui creavit celum). It made a lovely
change from what in another concert would have been men’s plainchant and was
followed by Jonathan
Dove’s (b. 1959) empassioned setting of Dorothy L Sayers’ The three Kings – a lullaby shattering into chattering and shouting before cadencing back into
a lullaby.
The final pair of this section was the anonymous 15th
century This endere nyghth I saw a syghth performed by a trio of men in
conversation with solo tenor, and Kenneth
Leighton’s (1929-1988) setting of the 17th century A Hymn of
the Nativity. I could have come to this
concert to hear this piece alone. Leighton’s mastery of the possibilities of
choral music performed by this group was spectacular. A conversation between
solo and choir becomes a race-like round with the gap between the parts closing
to become an echo.
Space was made for the boys of the Copenhagen Royal Chapel
Choir to join in for A Boy was Born by Benjamin Britten (1913-1976). Matching
the rest of the evening, this was masterfully performed. Of special note were In the Bleak Mid-Winter and Noel!.
The forte at the end of the finale was so loud that its reverberations
beat off the windows and walls with no apparent effort. It is a special
relationship between venue and choir that can leave your ears ringing.
Concerts by the Gabrieli consort always leave me wanting
more. In this case we were not disappointed and were treated to a New Year
encore. St Leonard’s was very cold and after two hours the singers must have
been starting to feel it. Next time I’ll wrap up warmer and perhaps be there
early enough to have some of the preconcert wine or spiced apple. But I’ll
definitely be there.
review by Hilary Glover
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