St Bartholomew, Brighton, 20 June 2015
It is easy to see why Toward the Unknown Region was such a success at its first hearing in Leeds in 1907. The score has echoes of Gerontius yet its spirituality is not linked to any specific belief system. Instead it seems more akin to current demands to be allowed to be spiritual without being religious. The score takes us on a brief but exultant journey towards spiritual freedom where the Soul bursts forth to float in Time and Space.
The acoustic in St Bartholomew’s is always a problem for any performers but once one had accepted that the text was, for most of the time, going to be completely incomprehensible, one could simply wallow in the sound world Vaughan Williams creates. If the thrust of Toward the Unknown Region was uncomplicated, the dichotomy within The Lark Ascending was on this occasion more so. Christian Halstead’s solo violin often disappeared within the richness of the orchestra, particularly in the lower passages, or seemed remarkably distant. In this way the balance shifted and rather than concentrating on the clarity of the lark we were forced to realise how elusive the sound is and how fragile. This may not have been what Vaughan Williams intended but it was a fascinating approach.
Both of these works seem to be about escape, and, somewhat surprisingly, A Sea Symphony continued the same theme.
After the tempestuous outpouring of the early movements it was the yearning and spiritual passion of the final Explorers that made an indelible impression. Walt Whitman’s poem uses the sea as a parable for spiritual freedom where risk and danger are all subverted by the love of God who is ever present. The Sussex Chorus were alive to the impact of the text even when the words themselves were clouded by the acoustic and caught the mood changes of the work with considerable skill. Soloists Jacquelyn Fugelle and Simon Thorpe rode the waves of sound with ease, her voice in particular cutting cleanly through chorus and orchestra. The Kent Sinfonia provided strong support though it was difficult to hear individual instruments. Alan Vincent brought authority to his handling of the scores and a deep sense of commitment. A splendid evening – just a pity there is nowhere else in Brighton affordable to forces like these.