German Requiem

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31178, 30 September 1966, Page 14

German Requiem

The Christchurch Harmonic Society, conducted by Mr William Hawkey, sang the German Requiem by Johannes Brahms, in the Civic Theatre last evening. The work was sung in German and there is much to be said for singing in the original language of a composition—preservation of the writer’s intentions in phrasing, and getting his intended vowel sounds in places of special climax are the most important. The German language is a particularly beautiful one for singing, and the rich timbres produced by the choir certainly made it seem that the members found it so. One would rather hear this work sung in Swahili than in a recent translation into English.

The choir had, as always, been splendidly prepared and sang with careful attention to all Mr Hawkey’s clear directions. In interpreting the work he kept the style and atmosphere of oratorio without underplaying the dramatic power of the forceful and often poignant climaxes which came through with splendidly rounded richness of tonal quality and with bite in their rhythmic approach. The tender singing always had vitality and had convincing and moving consolatory atmosphere. Subtle changes of colour and of expression, used within the range of pianissimo to mezzo-piano levels, were most interestingly effective, and were always used with artistry and discerning insight. All these had been carefully rehearsed and the choir is to be congratulated on their smooth response. The blazing forte and fortissimo singing never failed to make full effect—and there was no loss in quality of tone nor in balance between the parts. Mr Hawkey followed and expounded the composer’s plan of the whole work with nicely poised judgement both in detail and in broad relationships of outline. There was never a moment when the atmosphere was lost and had to be re-created, and the result was a performance which maintained a convincing unity of purpose and meaning. His tempi were, for the most part, admirably suited to the size of the choir and to the acoustic conditions of

the hall. Perhaps chorus No. 4 might have had a smoother flow with a slightly faster tempo, and a personal preference would have been for just a little more movement in No. 1. There was exemplary clarity of texture in the fugal choruses. Vowel sounds had clarity and a free flowing of sound, but at times a little more attention might have been paid to exactness in final consonants.

The soprano soloist was Rosemary Gordon, who sang the glorious solo part in Part 6 with velvety tone of charming timbre. Just occasionally she lost the essential serenity of the words by being somewhat over-dramatic, but her singing had deeply-moving appeal. Winston Sharp sang the baritone solos with telling effect and smoothness of tonal quality. He gave full appreciation to the varying moods required. The Civic Orchestra, led by Louis Yffer, played the accompaniments—which are of symphonic stature—with praiseworthy success. It was rhythmic playing, subtly expressive, giving excellent support without being overwhelming, and always phrased with shapeliness and well-pointed accent. The balance within the orchestral part itself was carefully judged and the tonal quality was pleasing and apt for every changing situation. Whatever effects Brahms may have hoped for by ending soft movements with high wood-wind chords, they are not often successful in performance. Often much which has gone so successfully in the course of a movement is let down by faulty intonation and uncertainty of attack. Some of the orchestration of these parts seems to call for revision. —C.F.B.