ENO 10 February 2012

Richard Jones has provided us with so many superb and provocative productions over recent years that it is difficult to know quite what went wrong with this new presentation of the Tales of Hoffmann. Giles Cadle’s design adapted intelligently for the range of venues required and provided an apt metaphor for the constant references to mirrors and illusion. Costumes and lighting were effective throughout and singing was of a very high standard. Part of the problem was the conducting which for much of the evening lacked bite and authority. Anthony Walker has done better than this and it was only really the end of the Antonia scene that came to life with any impact.

The chorus responded with panache to the director but there were times when they seemed to be going through all too familiar motions rather than living the experience.

Barry Banks was heroic as Hoffmann, Georgia Jarman found remarkable differences of approach to the four heroines, Christine Rice made more of Nicklausse than one might have thought possible and Clive Bailey was suitably villainous. But it never quite took off with the impact that, for example, the WNO Meistersinger, Hansel or Wozzek did.

If Hoffmann is Offenbach’s finest work – which in itself is arguable – this production did not go far enough to prove the point. BH

ENO 25 February 2012

It has taken over twenty years for John Adam’s The Death of Klinghoffer to reach the English stage and it is still bound up with controversy. That Tom Morris’ highly sympathetic new production for ENO was warmly received was a tribute not only to the company for mounting the work but to an ensemble cast where there are no star performances and no histrionics. If anything it was the coolness of the approach which was so impressive and, in the end, emotionally effective.

The opening set the tone for the whole evening when the chorus of exiled Palestinians morphs seamlessly into the chorus of exiled Jews. They are one and the same, suffering because of external pressures over which they have no control. The chorus remain a vital part of the work, closer to a baroque or Greek chorus than a verismo crowd, with their ability to change attitudes and comment as the work progresses.

The same is true of the solo singers. Plot is kept to an absolute minimum while individuals are allowed extensive solo arias to confront us with their individuality. There is little sense of making a political case for either side, more of letting us understand the thoughts and paradoxes of the individuals. In this the air-head dancer – a wonderful comic turn by Kate Miller-Heidke – is important in balancing the weight of politics which hangs in the air but is never fully explored.

Amidst all of this Klinghoffer himself is a somewhat elusive figure. He says very little, and what he does say sends contradictory messages. His death is shocking but as he sings to us after he has died the longer term effect is subtly contextualised. The work appears to be hinting at the Christian parallel, that it is better one man die for the people than that all the people suffer. When the Captain covers up the death, he effectively saves the rest of the passengers and crew, who applaud the hijackers as they leave the boat on the assumption that there has been a peaceful outcome, which of course for the majority there has been.

The large cast assembled by ENO bring immense clarity to their roles and most of the important text carries easily. The orchestra, with additions and amplification as required by John Adam’s score, was crisply directed by Baldur Bronnimann.

But, overall, it was the visual impact which made the evening so successful. Tom Pye’s set, apparently based on the wall which sadly divides Palestine and Israeli, was an apt metaphor for the context of the work and a splendidly manipulable space. Onto this was projected a combination of video and lighting effects which were constantly apt to the text and action but never upstaged the singers. This balance was maintained throughout to great effect. It was only in reflection that I realised that the movement of the boat was being projected and that it was changing its rhythm all the time. 

Works like this are not emotionally easy as they challenge our preconceptions and convictions. All the more reason they should be staged and discussed.

BH

Barbican Hall 11 May 2011

While the main focus of this programme was clearly Brahms’ German Requiem, it was the first half that contained the more interesting and challenging items. Phil Glass’ A Gentleman’s Honor seemed on paper an unlikely piece, ripped as it appears to be from a much longer work and rescored here by Jeremy Marchant. In the event it proved an exhilarating opening to procedures, with a splendid inter-play of textures and sonorities from the Hertfordshire Chorus. Though sung in English it could as easily have been in Sanskrit as the text was all but inaudible and seemed to bear little relationship to the score.

The concert also included the first performance of Will Todd’s setting of Keats’ Ode to a Nightingale. Considering how intimate and introspective much of the text is, it was surprising to find the composer’s romantic idiom working so successfully. Frequently lush in its orchestration and oriental in feeling – presumably a reflection of the underlying drug culture – it draws on Walton and Vaughan Williams without ever being derivative. I had enjoyed Will Todd’s The Blackened Man at Buxton some years ago and it was good to find that the freshness of writing is still very much in evidence.

The text rises clearly through the orchestral textures and one is aware of the psychological focus of the narrative as it proceeds. The chorus obviously enjoyed singing it and I am glad to note that the work will be repeated at The Sage, Gateshead, on 5 May 2012.

Barbican Hall 10 October 2011

There is a distinct advantage in hearing Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius in the concert hall rather than a large cathedral. The clarity of sound allows both for a wider range of dynamics and also far greater impact for the text.

The first entry of the chorus was exemplary in its refined diction and simple dignity. If the demons’ chorus did not have quite that textual finesse this is more a problem with the density of the writing than the quality of the singers. However Go forth was as fine as I have ever heard it. Here it was Ashley Riches’ heroic priest that led a majestic ensemble to a thrilling spiritual climax.

David Temple’s approach allowed the orchestration to erupt, often violently, where necessary, but was able to take it down to a hushed, motionless whisper in the second part.

Susan Bickley was a last minute replacement as the Angel but was at ease throughout, finding the joy in Softly and gently which comfortably rose above the combined orchestral and choral forces.

Robert Murray was more at ease in the Barbican Hall than he had been earlier in the summer during the Proms and brought intelligence and musicality to his reading of Gerontius.

The chorus characterised the various spiritual groups with subtlety and were well supported by the Finchley Children’s Music Group and the angelicals.

The only slightly sour note – quite literally – was from the organ which seemed unbalanced at times and produced some unexpected sounds. This may be one of the continuing problems with the hall not having a pipe organ of its own – though one accepts it is unlikely ever to get one.

BH

There is so much on offer each autumn during the Oxford Lieder Festival that it is difficult to know just what to attend, given that one is not likely to be able to afford the time to go to everything.

I seem to have been very fortunate this year with the younger singers I heard and the range of lieder on offer, and all events I attended were in the splendid environment of the Holywell Music Room.

The lunchtime recital on Thursday 27 October was given jointly by soprano Alison Rose and baritone Ross Ramgobin. While Ross Ramgobin opened slightly tentatively, getting the feel of the room, Alison Rose’s generous tones flooded it from the start. The programme commenced with alternative setting of poems by Goethe which allowed the singers to demonstrate the differing sensitivities which Loewe, Schumann and Liszt brought to the poems.

I particularly enjoyed Alison Rose’s rendition of Liszt’s Die Loreley and Brahms’ In stiller Nacht.The duets worked well, though at this stage there was little sense of frisson between the singers. Gregory Drott accompanied with aplomb and particular sensitivity to the varying levels needed within the duets.

The following lunchtime Portuguese soprano Sonia Grane brought us songs by Faure, Richard Strauss as well as Portuguese and Spanish items. This was probably the finest singing I heard over the two days and a wonderful sense of promise for her future career. Already winner of the Oxford Lieder Young Artist Platform, she brings a relaxed rapport with her audience, together with exemplary ability to communicate the narrative of a song. The wide range of emotions needed for Rodrigo’s Cuatro madrigals amatorios were all crisply encapsulated and she found a wistful melancholia in Carrapataso’s Eu… . She showed real flair for romantic settings and it will be a pleasure to watch her career develop. Throughout, Edwige Herchenroder accompanied with an equally romantic approach, creating swathes of luscious support and tiny moments of wonder in the introductions to many of the songs.

Evenings tend to be given over to established performers and the first brought Roderick Williams, escaping from the rigours of Rameau’s Castor and Pollux. He was, as usual, remarkably relaxed and created an easy, warm rapport with the audience. The gentle melancholy of Faure’s Mirages settings was offset by the overt sentimentality of Ireland’s Santa Chiara.

Charlotte Bray had been commissioned to provide a new cycle for the festival and we heard the world premiere of her setting of sonnets and songs by the Portuguese poet Pessoa. Her approach is declamatory rather than lyrical, allowing the text to come through with great clarity and leaving the emotional impact to dwell in the accompaniment rather than in the voice. There are hints of Finzi in the opening and the whole cycle is reserved in tone and range. The unaccompanied opening of Far Blue Skies is particularly effective.

The evening ended with Elgar’s Sea Pictures. This was unusual for two reasons – it is normally sung with full orchestra and is usually sung by a contralto. The contrasts were immediate with the text being to the fore to the point where the narrative became a clearer point of focus that the emotional turmoil of the setting. Andrew West’s accompaniment was superb here, finding the dramatic heart of the music without ever overpowering the singer. A wonderful evening.

The next evening Dame Felicity Lott sang to the guitar accompaniment of Christoph Denoth. Though there was much to enjoy in a very varied programme the musical impact was far less than on any of the events over the previous two days.  Dame Felicity has no problem with the range of the works she chose but there was little sense of subtlety in the delivery and Mozart’s Batti, batti was surely a mistake as it no longer suits her. The other Mozart items pleased as did the Schubert in the second half but the Dowland items suite an early music specialist rather than an operatic voice. We have heard so many wonderful performances from Dame Felicity over the years that this was a somewhat sad occasion. BH

 15 January

The New Year began on an educational note for the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra. The day prior to the concert a large number of primary school children had gathered at the Dome for a rehearsal of Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Not only where they introduced to the orchestra but had a chance to conduct along with Barry Wordsworth. At a time when music education is under threat, this hugely enjoyable experience is to be treasured.

The concert the following day opened with the Four Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes. These have always worked well in the concert hall and the ringing brass for Sunday Morning was particularly effective. The storm thrashed around the Dome to thrilling effect.

In keeping with the educational theme, Mozart’s Sinfonia concertante K364 drew on young soloists from the Yehudi Menuhin School. Anna Lee was the polished and lyrical violinist, with Nazli Erdogan a warm and sensitive viola player. They proved very well matched and created a pleasing ensemble with the orchestra. The dark second movement Andante was particularly effective in its mood setting.

After the interval the tone was lightened with Britten’s Matinees Musicales before a compelling reading of the Young Person’s Guide. While the work is very familiar from its regular radio performances it is not, maybe, as often heard in the concert hall today. One too easily forgets just how demanding Britten’s writing is for the orchestra and it was a tribute to all involved that the outcome was as polished, svelte and enjoyable at often electrifying speeds.

29 January

There seems to have been something of a gypsy theme this season and it continued with two works by the virtuoso violinist Pablo de Sarasate. Not quite as well known today as his contemporaries Paganini and Joachim, his compositions are flamboyant and entrancing. The Zigeunerweisen is based on Hungarian melodies and allows the soloist to wallow in sentimental portamento which at times verges on the erotic. The Carmen Fantasy brings popular melodies but embellishes them in a way which almost goes beyond belief. There are times it is difficult to comprehend just how many notes you are hearing. Throughout all of this Vasko Vassilev played as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Not only is his technique flawless, but his personality shines through without any sense of pomposity or smugness. Performances of this magnitude are rare enough that they need to be snapped up and enjoyed while they are passing. How sad that some people in Brighton chose not to attend.

The afternoon had opened with a sprightly reading of the overture to Rossini’s William Tell and concluded with Charles Mackerras’ arrangement of Sullivan for Pineapple Poll. It is always interesting to hear Sullivan with a full symphony orchestra rather than the pit band which is normally provided. Not only does the scoring benefit from the additional weight of string sound but the brass sounds far more pertinent. Add to this Mackerras’ subtle re-orchestration and we are probably hearing Sullivan somewhat better than the composer intended.

Barry Wordsworth was on fine form throughout. This is rapidly becoming a vintage season.

12 February 2012

There is no problem with popularity but some programme planning can unfortunately serve to highlight the exceptional above the merely enjoyable.

Opening with Chabrier’s Espana was pleasant but by comparison to the closing fire and colour of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio Espagnol it all seemed rather tepid.

The same could be said of Rodrigo’s Concierto de Aranjuez where familiarity could not be effaced even by the splendidly adroit playing of guitarist Craig Ogden. He seemed far happier in the first performance in England of Nigel Westlake’s Shadow Dances for Guitar, where the heat and mirages of Australia shimmer effectively. A work which could easily drift impressionistically is actually securely structured around repeated phrases and ideas, even if only hinted at through internal rhythms. This keeps the listener focussed and makes the whole piece most impressive.

This, and a beautifully understated performance of Debussy’s Petite Suite –with some exceptional solo playing – proved to be the high point of the afternoon.

Barry Wordsworth allows his players not only to enjoy themselves but to communicate this easily to his audience.

25 March 2012

The final concert of the season brought together the heavy weights in more senses than one, though the opening Prelude de l’apres-midi d’un Faune offered a delightful bon bouche.

Pianist John Lill is President of the Brighton Philharmonic, and a very active supporter, particularly when in the thralls of Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto. The opening movement held the dynamic balance in check, allowing the musical line a muscular fluidity, as if preparing for the explosion to come. Unfortunately the Intermezzo drifted rather at times, though this was more a problem with the scoring than with the perception of the performers. The finale galvanized itself with a light energy, which allowed for a more refined conclusion which was received with rapture by a very full Dome audience.

Berlioz’ Symphonie fantastique was the final work and showed both orchestra and conductor at their best. Barry Wordsworth trusts his players and allows them to develop musical lines without trying to over-manage them. This allowed for some particularly effective solo playing – the woodwind always in evidence, and the solo flute proving that the opening l’apres-midi was not a flash in the pan.

Barry Wordsworth’s approach was unusual. In theory the work gets darker and more nightmarish as it proceeds. He reversed this. The opening movements proved to be uncomfortably sinister, the dark drum rolls and empty landscapes bringing a sinister touch.

By contrast the March to the Scaffold and Witches’ Sabbath were positively jolly, with a riotous ending from the brass in full flow.

Next season has already been announced – details from www.brightonphil.org.uk – and it opens on 21 October with a Trafalgar Day concert of patriotic English music. Be there.

BH