Memorable concert

Press, 15 August 1980, Page 4

Memorable concert

By , MARGARET BUCHANAN I A memorable concert of music by Handel, under themasterly direction of Sir? David " Willcocks, was; enjoyed by a big audience in; Christchurch Cathedral last; evening. The tremendous impact; and magnificence of “Zadok; the Priest,” performed with’ religious vigour by the Har-u monic Choir, opened the programme. Her. there was; no need to reduce numbers; of performers to comply |1 with a return to “how.it'; was in 1727,” as Handel called for large ensembles —r an Orchestra of 100 or more ■ where possible — and our Cathedral resounded with; the glorious reverberations ;1 that were heard first in 1 Westminster Abbey. ■ [i The second antnem, “My 1 Heart is Inditing,” frornii Psalm 45, which is more ex-it tensive and varied in its} thematic material, gave If much pleasure, the trumpets It heightening the dramatic andil dignified climax. Even the it

.words of the Psalm extract, ' impressed with its non-sex-; ist ideals. Inlerspersed between the, : Coronation Anthems were! : the two Concert! Grossi ifrom the Op. 7 set, the first 'played being as.well loved ■probably as the choral i works that it complemented. I This concerto, No. 6 in G 'major, feature! a concertino lof Paulene Smith and David ' Shelley on violins with ; Francis De Goldi on cello. It i was a pleasant surprise to |hear; how, beautifully . sweet 'and clear the tone of the 1 I first violin sounded and how it carried so well in the ■acoustics of the Cathedral.| Positioning both the choir 1 and orchestra at the back of; the Cathedral was a move that was well rewarded by; the resulting sound, although! the organ continue 'was,; missed, especially in “Zadok i’ the Priest.”- ; ! There was,, however, a ' problem of balance in that • the . treble strings were largely swamped in the an- ; therris, when the choir sang •

i above a mezzo-forte dynamic. The lower strings, augimented by two bassoons, 'maintained a rich bass line. I In the second half, the progragramme went into something of a recession value-wise, the second of the concerti,. Op. 6 No. 7, having a lighter mood in a humorous fugue, but some anxious moments in a quirky andante.. Still, the wealth of ex-' perience of a conductor such as Sir David led the orchestra to play an energetic and more decisive hornpipe to complete the work. ; The magnificence of “The, iKing Shall Rejoice” brought! .’the splendour back into the! evening, the orchestra and I choir producing a dramatic and exultant climax in the, i final two sections. ! i Before Sir David Willcocks J returns to Britain he willj j have., conducted eight conI certs in three countries, including Walton’s “Belshazzar’s Feast” in the Town Hall with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, on Saturday.