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| © BBC/Chris Christodoulos |
BBC Proms, Prom 25
Monday 4 August 2014, 9.15pm
Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
Peter Phillips (conductor)
Sir John Tavener (1944-2013):
Ikon of Light (first
performance at the Proms)
Requiem Fragments (BBC
commission, world première)
It would have been Sir John
Tavener's 70th birthday this year, and presumably the BBC's
commission of Requiem Fragments was originally intended to mark that
anniversary at this year's Proms. In fact it was one of the last works he
composed before his death in November last year, and was dedicated to The
Tallis Scholars, who performed it on Monday, conducted by Peter Phillips, along with Ikon of Light,
which they recorded 30 years ago. Their landmark recording of the work
was also re-released earlier this year (read my review here), and that release
also included The Tallis Scholars singing Tavener's The Lamb (more of this later), conducted by Tavener himself.
The Tallis Scholars line-up has
gone through considerable changes in recent times, with many newer voices
joining the group. I wonder whether all these new voices have had chance
to 'bed down' just yet, as the ensemble in Ikon
of Light was at times surprisingly less secure than the smooth, blended
sound we are accustomed to hearing from them. Despite the fact that
tuning was impeccable, they also took a note from the strings between several
sections of the work - unnecessary as the tuning was bang on, but perhaps
another indication that the ensemble were not 100% confident in this opening work.
Ikon of Light is a
striking work, with many of the key elements that would become Tavener's
hallmarks throughout his career. The first of these is evident in the
opening section, Fos I, where he
contrasts short sections for string trio (performed here by members of the
Heath Quartet) with sudden, loud chords from the choir, on the single word, Fos ('light'). In their original
recording, The Tallis Scholars gave these bright, illuminating chords real
shine and edge, but on Monday night, some felt a little tentative, particularly
from the top soprano voices, which characterised the performance overall,
unfortunately. However, there was some impressive singing here too, particularly
from the two low basses in the Mystic
Prayer to the Holy Spirit, as the subterranean bass drones frequently
ground the increasingly complex invention in this long central section. Tavener also shows his fascination with
palindrome in this work, both small and large scale, as seen in the overall
symmetrical structure of the work. When
the Fos chords return towards the end
of the work (Fos II), the voices
seemed more secure and confident, although still without the power and bite of
the original recording.
However, for their performance
of Requiem Fragments, The Tallis
Scholars, separated into two choirs, seemed suddenly much more secure and at
home. Tavener was inspired here by Josquin's complex 24-voice Qui
habitat, with its intricate canon structure. Requiem
Fragments is not as complex, but there is still considerable use of canon,
particularly in the settings of the Hindu words Manikarnika (a Hindu shrine and place of cremation) and Mahapralaya (the total reabsorption of
everything into the one Divine Being, at the end of the Universe). In
contrast, the earlier fragments, setting short parts of the Requiem text, are
much simpler, although there is use of strict canon here between the two
choirs, so that although the harmonies are very simple, almost Romantic in
their lushness, Tavener still creates dissonance and effective layering of
sound. This richness is also matched in the writing for the string
quartet, and the Heath Quartet produced a remarkably full tone to avoid being
swamped by the singers. The sections for
string quartet also use canon, and they are joined by two trombones at key
points, particularly effective in the climactic settings of Atma ('Supreme reality and supreme
self') and Sanctus. After this, Manikarnika begins with a lone soprano voice (exquisitely sung by
Carolyn Sampson, who by now had crept into the organ loft way above the singers
on stage), gradually joined by the choir in canon. Tavener’s ability to produce something
sublime out of seemingly simple beginnings is what marks out certain of his
works as masterpieces, and this is definitely one of those works. When the opening Requiem aeternam setting returns, closure is hinted at, but the
final unresolved chord left hanging in the air felt like a fitting tribute to
the enigmatic composer no longer with us.
Following the original
scheduled programme, as part of the nationwide LIGHTS OUT event, the lights
were dimmed and prommers lit small electric candles, whilst actor Samuel West
joined the stage to recite Wilfred Owen’s Anthem
for Doomed Youth. The Tallis
Scholars, joined by Carolyn Sampson, then gave a heartfelt rendition of
Tavener’s The Lamb, followed by Sam
West reciting the attributed words of the British Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward
Grey, on the eve of Britain’s entry into the First World War, ‘The lamps are going out all over Europe…’ A moving and effective end to a reflective
and atmospheric evening.
