Harmonic Chorale

Press, 26 April 1983, Page 6

Harmonic Chorale

The Harmonic Chorale and Wind Ensemble, conducted by John Pattinson, in concert at the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament, April 24, at 3 p.m. Reviewed by Julie Klaassens. Sunday’s concert promised to be an interesting one, airing two lesser known choral works by Hindemith and Bruckner with the accompaniment of a wind ensemble. In reality, it was a devastating experience. From a select choir one expects to hear select voices producing select sounds. One also expects a certain degree of expertise in ensemble work and in accuracy of pitch. Yet, throughout this performance the audience suffered thin, unsupported tone, harsh vowel sounds, and great dispute over pitch. Sopranos flattened consistently, plummeting the basses into the grumbling depths of their register. This was worst in

a cappella passages and cacophonous when the instruments re-entered.

Early in the Hindemith work, “Apparebit Repentina Dies” (1947), the choir’s reluctance to follow the baton was detectable. Voices lagged behind while in the softer second section, where men’s and women’s voices were contrasted, a hesitancy to come in pushed a few brave individuals’ voices into undue prominence. Crescendi were badly graduated and phrases poorly shaped. The weightiest item was Bruckner’s Mass in E minor (revised version, 1982). This work is unique both to Bruckner’s output and to the entire musical output of his time. It looks back to the great age of Palestrina and to the vocal polyphony of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Knowing this, it is still hard to accept Bruckner performed by small forces, stripped

of the power native to his symphonies and other Masses. With a choir of 27 caution indeed is needed: there are eight vocal parts and the busy instrumental accompaniment complements rather than doubles these parts. In striving to produce the familiar Brucknerian sound, tone was forced and strident.

The wind ensemble played well though with some problems in the latter stages of the Bruckner. The opening item, Gabrieli’s Sonata Pian’e Forte, for two four-part instrumental choirs, was a rich blend of sonorities which would have been enhanced by. a more pungent attack. After Sunday’s concert it should be reassessed whether the Harmonic Chorale can viably coexist with the many competent choirs already established in Christchurch. If it wishes to do so, it must improve.