‘Christophorus'

Press, 9 December 1982, Page 6

‘Christophorus'

Premiere: “Christophorus," composed and conducted by Kit Powell, Teachers College Auditorium, December 8, 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. Reviewed by Philip Norman. The results of Kit Powell’s 'spectacularly. productive stay in Switzerland during 1981- have been gradually unfolded in Christchurch during the course of this year. "Christophorus,” a cantata for soloists, small orchestra, and primary school choir, is the latest;in a long line of first. performances of Powell’s "Swiss compositions.” The text for "Christophorus’' is based on a legend concerning St Christopher. It is an allegorical tale about St Christopher’s eight-year search to find arid kill an ogre he saw in his dreams. Each year in his travels he meets a child in need; seven children with fears of snow, water, darkness, earthquakes, sickness, war, and hunger. • St.Christopher’s search for the ogre is all-consuming. He rid time tri stop ana help

each child. In the eighth year the infant Jesus appears to him in a vision. He realises that the ogre he seeks is the fear of the children. Kit Powell’s realisation of this simple and beautiful story is a powerful and dramatic one. “Christophorus” contains some of the most finely crafted and expressive music of Powell’s I have heard. The strength of this composition lies in his depictive orchestral writing. He has an uncanny ear for capturing the sounds and ambience of the natural world in a kaleidoscope of changing textures and timbres. Cascades'of woodwind suggest floods of water, origanum brass suggest the darkness of the beginning of time, and no facile use of bass drum and timpani suggest the trembles of the Earth. Another strength lies in the passages that overlay vocal textures. A most striking example of this was in the sickness sequence where St Christopher wove a riarra-

tive thread in free counterpoint to an incanted prayer in the choir. There were weaknesses in the work, however. The exchanges of recitative between St Christopher and the children captured none of the urgency of the quest for the ogre, while the sequential nature of the text led to a predictable symmetry of design within each of the seven sections. The final eighth section was all the more satisfying for breaking away from this pattern of descriptionexchange commentary.... The role of St Christopher that Kit Powell has created is a magnificent one — a singer's dream. It is extremely demanding, ho.wever, in that it calls for a wide baritone range. Deep, forbidding tones are scored alongside high lyrical passages. The choice of James Baines for this role was indeed fortunate. He has the range, the flexibility, and above all he has the commanding presence needed to dominate the performance of his most editing cantata.