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| La Nuova Musica photo B. Ealovega |
Reviewed by Robert Hugill on Mar 20 2015
Star rating:
A lenten programme which did not preclude bravura brilliance and expressive singing
David Bates and his group, La Nuova Musica brought a rather Lenten themed programme of baroque vocal music to St John's Smith Square on Friday 20 March 2015, the first half devoted to struggling with sin and God's wrath, the second half contemplating the sufferings of Mary at the foot of the Cross. Joined by counter-tenor Tim Mead and soprano Lucy Crowe, they performed Bach's cantata Widerstehe doch der Sunde, BWV 54 (Just resist sin), Vivaldi's motet In furore Iustissimae irae, RV 626 (In wrath and most just anger), and Pergolesi's Stabat Mater, along with Locatelli's Concerto Grosso in C minor, Op.1, No.1.
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| Lucy Crowe photo Marco Borggreve |
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| Tim Mead photo B. Ealovega |
Next the orchestra played Locatelli's Concerto grosso in C minor, Opus 1, no.1 which was written in Rome in 1721. A four movement work, generally slow, fast, slow, fast, it used a solo quartet of two violins, viola and cello (Bojan Cicic, Kinga Ujsaaszi, Jane Rogers, Joseph Crouch). The opening Largo was slow and grand and very striking, with the expressive yet chromatic solo from Bojan Cicic's first violin predominating, and the ensemble bringing a lot of rich colour to the harmony. The Allemanda was a perky movement, very much a quick fire call and response between soli and ensemble. The Sarabanda was stately with lovely sonorous harmonies, echoing the expressive solo passages. Finally a perky Giga Allegro, with busy solo parts giving us cascades of notes over a strongly rhythmic bass.
Vivaldi's motet In furore Iustissimae irae, RV 626 was written for Rome in 1722 and though a sacred work, was a highly virtuoso piece. The opening aria, with its cascades of scales in strings and voice (soprano soloist Lucy Crowe), was taken at remarkably fast speed by Bates who was clearly taking no prisoners. Crowe followed with an account of the solo line which was full of bravura poise, straight tone (no fudging of the notes) and a lovely clarity of line. She brought in a fabulous top note in the cadenza before the ornamented da capo, which was spectacular though I have to find it a little too ornamented for my taste. Vivaldi's virtuoso writing does have a basis in the text, but frankly we were just sitting and listening to Crowe and marvelling.
After a short recitative, the second aria was simpler and sung with a lovely straight yet vibrant tone and with beautifully shaped lines. For much of the aria, Vivaldi omits the cellos with the violas providing the bass thus giving a lightness to the texture, resulting in a very appealing sound world. The work concluded with brilliant, fast Alleluia which was catchily toe-tapping in a way that only Vivaldi can achieve. Again Crowe more than coped with the speed and provided an amazing bravura performance which left us astonished.
After the interval, Crowe and Mead joined Bates and the group in Pergolesi's Stabat Mater his final work written in 1736. Intriguingly there is an arrangement of the work by JS Bach, with a new German text based on Psalm 51 and an extra viola part and one day I would love to hear this. Bates and his forces gave us the original version. It is in twelve movements which mix solos for the soprano and alto with duets, opening of course with the famous duet which is full of false relations. Pergolesi's expressive use of these false relations and other chromatics often lead performers to push the work towards romanticism, but Pergolesi is still late baroque.
The performance from Crowe, Mead and Bates reflected this. Crowe and Mead sang with lovely straight tone, providing a remarkable unanimity and blend in the duets, here were two singers collaborating rather than vying with each other and the results were highly expressive. Very much less is more, phrases were sung with a lovely sense of line and without pushes and bulges; they allowed the harmony and melody to speak. Complementing this, Bates and his group made much of the work's sonorous harmony and accompaniments.
Individual moments stood out, Crowe was finely distraught and expressively distracted in Vidit suum dulcem natum with some perky, yet sober rhythms in Cuius animam gementem. Mead was wonderfully austere despite the rich details of the score in Fac, ut portem Christi mortem and contributed poised vocals to Quae moerebat et dolebat despite Bates brisk tempo. But what made the performance was the sense of overall shape and control and the feel, as I have said, of collaboration and of not trying too hard. The result was intense, very direct and well worth listening to.
Elsewhere on this blog:
- A passion for Gilbert and Sullivan: My encounter with John Savournin of Charles Court Opera - interview
- Imaginative reconstruction: Music for the coronation of Charles II - CD review
- Music and Poetry: This Other Eden, Kitty Whately's debut disc - CD review
- Making music on the edge of Europe: The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra - feature article
- Original fire: music of Manuel de Falla with the Nash Ensemble - concert review
- Essential listening: The Sixteen in music from the Spanish Golden Age - Cd review
- Varied selection: O Duo in their own distinctive music on Champs Hill - CD review
- Room to play: First of the BBT Wednesdays at Wiltons - concert review
- Dramatic bel canto: Donizetti's Siege of Calais - opera review
- Featured composer: Dobrinka Tabakova on Radio 3 and at Vale of Glamorgan Festival - interview
- Sparkling double: Malcolm Arnold and Donizetti one-act operas
- Home
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