Wells choir, orchestra

Press, 21 April 1986, Page 4

Wells choir, orchestra

Wells Cathedral Choir conducted by Anthony Crossland, and Wells Cathedral School Chamber Orchestra conducted by Timothy Goulter, in recital at Christchurch Cathedral, April 19, 8 p.m. Reviewed by Nan Anderson. This was a historic recital — the first by an English Cathedral choir and Cathedral School chamber orchestra — and our Cathedral was packed for the occasion. Expectations were understandably keen, and in the main were fulfilled to a high degree of satisfaction; what we heard on Saturday evening showed that these young people of Wells are worthy custodians of their centuries-old legacy of English church music and Cathedral traditions. It is: easy to become dewy-eyed at the sight of tiny, beruffled choirboys; in fact, their effortlessly clear treble voices are one of the many virtues of this group’s sound. Tenors and basses mould with sensitivity and solo voices have just the right amount of individuality. Diction over all is as clear ais Cathedral resonance vrill allow, and the range of dynamics can move from the merest whisper to an intense fortissimo without any loss of quality. The strengths of the chamber orchestra made one forget at times that these players are still in their teens. They have the good fortune to go to one of the four leading specialist music schools in England, and are clearly being trained to high standards of presentation and performance. A few minor blemishes did not detract from playing that was commendably neat and stylish. Haydn’s Symphony 49 <5

“La Passione,” so named from association with Holy Week, suffered a little from being first on the programme, with the musicians not yet fully played in. The opening adagio lacked something of its essential brooding quality, and the lower strings occasionally produced an overly grainy sound. It was unusual to hear the work without a harpsichord, which could have given it a sharper focus in the Cathedral acoustic. Mozart’s Cassation in G was more successful; it is occasional music of the type described by J. M. Thomson as the best kind of background music, that at times becomes foreground, compels one to listen, then recedes. It was played with appropriate style and elegance, particularly a solo by an unnamed violinist, whom one assumes from the orchestra list to have been John Smart. Considering the youth of the players, it is not surprising that they seemed most at home with Alan Rudout’s Concertino for bassoon and strings, written in 1975. It had immediate appeal as a work for young performers: it has quirky rhythms in fast sections, a lyrical slow movement, and a deliciously self-im-portant candenza that was played with great panache by the soloist, Helen Bates. Like the orchestra, the choir took a little time to settle into its first bracket, four of the early English and Italian motets that are staple fare in the hundreds of Cathedral services the choir sings each year. Each of the four had its complexities and its beauties, typified in the exquisite ending of Orlando Gibbons’ anthem. The

choir was equally convincing in the madrigalian techniques of Thomas Weelkes’ “Lament of David for Absalom,” and in the Italianate extrovertness of Monteverdi’s “Cantate Domino.” However, it came most fully into its own in a group of twentieth-cen-tury anthems. This was spell-binding singing, creating a willing suspension of the reviewer’s pen. Finely-crafted works by Herbert Howells and John Ireland impressed but were surpassed by the haunting beauty of William Walton’s unaccompanied litany, "Drop,' drop slow tears.” Here was perfection of inspiration, composition and presentation.

Of equal distinction were the organ accompaniments, especially for Parry’s glorious Coronation anthem, “I was glad,” which ended the group. This gave an unfortunate sense of anti-climax to J. C. Bach’s "Magnificat,” despite a well-balanced performance by choir and orchestra.

It is perhaps churlish to wish that we could have heard the Vaughan Williams Mystical Songs or the Handel Organ Concerto that appeared in the souvenir programme as concluding other recitals on this three-nation tour.

Taken as a whole, this was not just a quality recital; after all, one expects touring musicians to come with finely honed skills, whatever their age and experience. The orchestra commanded respect for the standard it has reached under Mr Goulter, while Mr Crossland and the choir drew us into sharing a heritage that is part of our culture too. Anglican, atheist or in between — all could appreciate fine music finely sung.