Exciting Stravinsky and powerful Tchaikovsky to kick off Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra's 100th season

Aidan Mikdad, Joanna MacGregor
& the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Fernando Manoso-Borgas

Aidan Mikdad (piano)

Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra

Joanna MacGregor (conductor)

2.45pm, Sunday 22 September 2024

Dome Concert Hall, Brighton

★★★

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): Piano Concerto Nol 1 in B flat major, Op. 23

Encore:

Franz Liszt (1811-1886): Liebestraüme, S451, No. 3 in A flat major

Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971): Le Sacre du printemps (The Rite of Spring)

Conductor Joanna MacGregor and Brighton Philharmonia Orchestra kicked off their 100^th season with an afternoon of barnstorming greats of the repertoire. They opened with Tchaikovsky’s ever-popular Piano Concerto No. 1, with Dutch pianist (and former pupil of MacGregor’s at the RAM), Aidan Mikdad at the keyboard. But when their ambitious 100^th season programme was first published, the big question was, could they pull off Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, notoriously challenging, and requiring greater forces than are usually assembled by the BPO on the Brighton Dome stage. And it's not just size – The Rite of Spring calls for instrumentation at the far ends of most of the woodwind and brass sections – Wagner tubas, bass clarinets, alto flute, bass trumpet and trombone at the low end, and high E-flat and D clarinets at the top. The virtuosity required of the players is significant, with solos shared around most of the orchestra at one point or another. Were they up to the challenge?

 

Joanna MacGregor conducting the
Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Fernando Manoso-Borgas

But first the Tchaikovsky. After a slightly nervy horn opening, a rich string sound soon took over, and Mikdad immediately responded with weighty, full chords. Things took off at a lilting pace, then Mikdad injected greater pace and energy with the folk melody that follows. The strings sounded particularly warm, not always matched in tone by the drier woodwind sound, however. Mikdad’s cadenza cross rhythms and subsequent trills against the returning tune were commandingly secure and confident. Although the following orchestral pickup was not totally secure, MacGregor and Mikdad nonetheless built to an impressively strong finish. The pianissimo pizzicato strings at the opening of the second movement slowly quietened the enthusiastic audience, and retiring Principal Flute, Christine Messiter delivered the melody with tender lightness. MacGregor did well to keep the strings at bay when the piano entered proceedings, although later, the orchestra and offbeat piano got momentarily out of kilter with each other. The Finale had great energy and enthusiasm, with some thundering octave runs from Mikdad. The orchestral surges could have taken more contrast, and once again here, timing was once or twice a slight issue, but Mikdad’s show of excellence was impressive, and the conclusion was suitably exciting. He then treated the eager audience to a technically assured rendition of Liszt’s Liebestraum No. 3 to conclude his contribution to the afternoon’s programme, although it was pleasing to note that he joined the audience for the second half.

 

Joanna MacGregor
& the Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra
© Fernando Manoso-Borgas

And then to the Stravinsky. Principal Bassoon Jonathan Price led things off with a fine delivery of the twisted, high introduction, leading into birdcalls from each woodwind instrument in turn. This signalled what was to be a secure performance from all, and MacGregor and the players certainly rose to the challenges set by Stravinsky. MacGregor’s guidance through the complex rhythms was clear, and only very occasionally did the orchestral rhythms not gel perfectly. They produced a suitably huge sound when required at the various ritual sections, and the final Sacrifical Dance had stabbing, scary energy. The thrashing string chords in The Augurs of Spring needed greater violence and malevolence, and there could have been a greater sense of the edge of chaos and riot, and there was occasionally a sense that they needed to keep everything under control. However, MacGregor and the BPO did pull it off with an exciting performance, once again demonstrating their continued growth and development as they push the boundaries of their expected repertoire. If this was ambitious for the BPO, wait for later in the season, and in particular, their Centenary Gala on 13 April 2025 – Messaien’s mighty Turangalîla Symphony. On today’s evidence, this will certainly be something to watch out for. 

 

Programme

Josquin des Prez (c.1450–1521) - Kyrie from Missa Pange lingua 

Thomas Tallis (c.1505-1585) - In manus tuas 

William Byrd (1539/40–1623) - Haec dies 

Robert Parsons (c.1535-1572) - Ave Maria 

Giovanni Palestrina (c.1525-1594) - Sicut cervus 

Tomás Luis de Victoria( c.1548-1611) - O quam gloriosum 

More details here.

From the Celestial Hills - The University of Glasgow Chapel Choir perform a fascinating range of sacred Scottish choral repertoire from across five centuries

The University of Glasgow Chapel Choir was reestablished in the 1950s, but choral singing at the university goes back centuries. The choir have recorded a fascinating collection of sacred Scottish choral works, much of it little known, including a number of first commercial recordings of recent works. The title of the album, From the Celestial Hills, comes from their opening track, Abbeville. Composed by Elisha James King (1821-1844), it had an alto line added later, and has been arranged here by the Director of Chapel Music and conductor of the choir, Dr Katy Lavinia Cooper. The choir immediately demonstrate their secure and full sound, with bright sopranos on the long lines of this strong opener. This is immediately followed by a bouncing seventeenth-century carol, Ecce Novum Gaudium, arranged by Kenneth Elliot (1929-2011) a former lecturer at the university. The choir show themselves to be adept in the smooth plainchant of Arora Rutilat, which also features a fine solo from soprano Eve Harling, and in Sheena Phillips’ (b.1958) arrangement, the harmonies grow more complex, without detracting from the purity of the original line. What, Heard Ye Not? was composed by Frederick Rimmer (1914-1998), who was responsible for reestablishing the choir, and sets an old English carol. Angular sopranos are set against the organ (played here as on other tracks by Dr Kevin Bowyer (b.1961)), with other voices joining, all delivering the text with precise diction. There are only moments of imitative ends of line, the upper and lower voices remaining mostly in unison with striking interjections from the organ. Other highlights here include Katy Lavinia Cooper’s (b.1979) own Like a Lost God, beginning with lower voices over a kind of drone from upper voices, then roles are switched. Two solo sopranos (Eve Harling again, with Sophie Boyd) intertwine beautifully as the choral textures build up. James MacMillan (b.1959) of course had to be represented here, and his strikingly effective For a Thousand Years, with its murmuring repetition and constant movement from unison through clashing seconds to complex crunchy chords and back again, building to a glorious climax, then a dying ending. The singers confidently manage the challenges here, and Cooper shapes the dynamic trajectory well. Jumping back more than five centuries, The Sang of the Thrie Childrein by John Angus (fl.1543-1595) is a spirited hymn, setting verses from the Benedicite. It has great energy, and Cooper and the choir inject effective dynamic variety across the verses. Here and elsewhere it would be nice to have seen the texts – the singers’ diction is exemplary throughout, but the text here is a little trickier! Martin Dalby’s (1942-2018) Et Resurrexit is the most substantial work here, some six and a half minutes long, and begins and ends with quiet organ. The choir, particularly the sopranos manage their sudden entries and edgy, short rhythmic phrases well, as well as smoothly blended sound on the longer lines. In contrast, Rory Boyle’s (b.1951) O Sacrum Convivium is a mostly close syllabic setting, with crunchy harmonies and a mood of mystery, which the singers convey successfully here. There are lots of other gems to be discovered here, but the disc ends with a sweet and gently lilting setting of Ave Regina Caelorum by Kenneth Tay (b.1992), also a bass in the choir. It builds pleasingly to allow the choir to produce a full sound, and the tenors deserve particular mention for their poise at the end. This is a fascinating collection, demonstrating the choir’s clear command across a variety of repertoire, and there are many works here that other choirs may wish to investigate. 

Various. 2024. From the Celestial Hills, Sacred Scottish Choral Works. University of Glasgow Chapel Choir, Dr Kevin Bowyer, Dr Katy Lavinia Cooper. Compact Disc. Convivium Records CR088.

The University of Glasgow Chapel Choir

 

Baillie & Yandell impress in striking Crosse, restless Fauré, and lyrical Ravel

Cellist Alexander Baillie studied with André Navarra and Jacqueline du Pré, and has had an extensive career as a soloist, chamber musician and teacher, and has recently returned to the UK after his tenure as Professor of Cello at the Hochschule für Musik in Bremen. On his recent disc with First Hand Records, he was joined by pianist Nigel Yandell, who has an equally varied career, as soloist, collaborative pianist and teacher. Both worked with the London Sinfonietta, and it was their partnership that led to the desire to realise a new performing edition of Gordon Crosse’s (1937-2021) Wanderings. The work was originally recorded by Baillie with pianist Andrew Ball when it was composer back in 1983. This revival was originally intended for Crosse’s 80^th birthday in 2017, but delays and then COVID delayed the project, and sadly Crosse died aged 83 in 2021. Crosse had a relatively successful period in the 1960s and 1970s, writing choral and operatic works for the Three Choirs Festival and Sadlers Wells, as well as orchestral, chamber and vocal pieces. He moved into computer programming and music technology, but returned to composition later, completing four more symphonies and four more string quartets.

 

Crosse’s Wavesongs is a fascinating work which begins with a long introduction, Deep Sea. From empty space, glassy cello harmonics emerge, with rumbles and a persistent semitone pattern. It’s so quiet and mysterious, it’s initially hard to discern what’s happening, and low piano tolls hint of something in the distant depths of the ocean. Slow movement on both instruments develops, with fluttering from the cello and changing from the piano. Sea Shanty then emerges, with a lilting melody developing on the cello. Agitated repetition on the piano is taken over by the cello, building to wild piano scales and high wailing from the cello in Troubled Waves. Storm which follows is actually quieter, with rumbling turbulence, before piano strikes of lightening break through. The swinging shanty rhythms return over relentless movement in Cruel Sea, before calm arrives in Aria, cluster chords releasing into a soothingly harmonic melody. Turbulence returns in Tempest, with wild running piano scales and violent cello explosions. By now, the cello is screaming in its upper registers against repeated high piano notes in Lost at Sea. Homeward Bound is spiky and fragmentary with slithering, glassy cello. A train-like rhythm gets going, and there’s little let-up, until the piano slows first, and finally they both stop. Calm returns in Peace and Enlightenment, and the high cello harmonics of the very opening are back. Everything slows, with a final cry of the shanty tune from the cello, and quiet piano chords bringing the journey to a close. This is a highly effective piece, with evocative use of both instruments, and Baillie and Yandell’s performance is engaging, making coherent sense of this complicated and ever shifting score. 

 

First on the disc comes a rendition of Fauré’s Cello Sonata No. 1. Both of his sonatas for the instrument came from the latter period of his life, when he was plagued by distortion of sound and increasing deafness. The first Cello Sonata, from 1917, is a compact work of three movements. The jumpy, impetuous start sets the mood of restlessness, and lyricism when it comes has edgy harmonic twists, meaning the music never relaxes. Despite the intensity, Baillie is never too weighty, and Yandell rises to the demanding persistence of the piano part. The central Andante is warmer, and here Baillie’s lyricism is underpinned by delicate chords from Yandell. The sense of turbulence from the opening movement creeps in, and the middle of the movement moves into wistful sadness. The Finale has greater drive, and a conversation dances along between the two instruments. Baillie’s melodic line sings, if occasionally becoming a little astringent at the top, and both drive through to a spirited, joyful finish. 

 

They end their recording with an arrangement for cello and piano of Ravel’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in A minor. This was a very early work, but was not published until 1975. It works very well on the cello, particularly in the wistful, wandering opening, with the piano responding with rippling textures. There are lots of lyrical lines for the cello, and plenty of rhapsodic development of the material from both instruments. Emphatic octaves from the cello lead to a yearning climax, then as the opening materials returns, substantially transformed, a more relaxed, summery mood is established, leading to a light, major key conclusion. Baillie and Yandell make a great case for this arrangement here.

 

The two French works provide an interesting contrast to the striking work by Crosse, and allow Baillie and Yandell to demonstrate their command in varied repertoire for cello and piano.

Various. 2023. Fauré, Crosse, Ravel. Alexander Baillie, Nigel Yandell. Compact Disc. First Hand Records FHR152.

 

 

Handel's Messiah overpowered by massed forces to close the Proms Choral Day

Messiah at the BBC Proms Choral Day
© BBC/Andy Paradise

Nardus Williams (soprano)

Helen Charlston (mezzo-soprano)

Benjamin Hulett (tenor)

Ashley Riches (bass-baritone)

Philharmonia Chorus

Bath Minerva Choir

The Fourth Choir

Jason Max Ferdinand Singers

London Youth Chamber Choir

Voices of the River's Edge

Gavin Carr (coordinating chorus-master)

Academy of St Martin in the Fields

John Butt (conductor)

Helen Charlston
© BBC/Andy Paradise

BBC Prom 65

7pm, Saturday 7 September 2024

Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★ 

George Frideric Handel (1685-1759): Messiah

(orch. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791))

'Conductor John Butt had a massive juggernaut to control and, with the best will in the world, nuance was always going to be a challenge. The Academy of St Martin in the Fields played with precision and lyricism, but in solo arias and recitatives, they were often sadly just too loud to allow room for the soloists’ subtleties of expression'.

John Butt conducts Messiah
© BBC/Andy Paradise

'Tenor Benjamin Hulett opened with a gently sustained “Comfort Ye”, followed by a nimble “Ev’ry Valley”.... When Mozart got out of the way and left things to strings alone for “Behold, and see”, (Helen) Charlston shone.... Soprano Nardus Williams delivered pure tone in “He shall feed his flock”, again, muted strings allowing for delicate colour....Bass-baritone Ashley Riches’ penetrating tone cut through the textures well'.

'The Philharmonia Chorus formed the semi-chorus (still 120 singers), delivering confident precision in the fiddlier choruses'.

'The fully combined chorus produced a phenomenally powerful sound, and this was used to dramatic effect for “Wonderful Counsellor” in “For unto us a child is born”'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here. 

Rattle and the Bavarian RSO offer a glimmer of hope in epic Mahler 6

Sir Simon Rattle conducts the
Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

Sir Simon Rattle (conductor)

BBC Prom 62

8pm, Friday 6 September 2024

Royal Albert Hall, London

★★★★★

Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Symphony No. 6 in A minor (1903-4, rev. 1906)

The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra percussionists
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

'With short phrases thrown around the orchestra, detail can easily get lost, or lack connection. Yet Rattle (without score) led from one to the other, and just watching him alone delivered complete coherency'.  

'... alone at the top of the staging was a large, beehive-like wooden box on legs. At the appointed moment, the percussionist rose from his seat below, solemnly walked up the steps, picked up the huge mallet, and then scared the living daylights out of the audience in the choir stalls behind, hitting the box with such force it jumped around on the stage. Thankfully it didn’t fall to bits, and no swarm of bees emerged'.

'In the Scherzo, Rattle contrasted the violent, twisted march with the pecking, petulant woodwind, but also brought out the laughing violas alongside the shrill E flat clarinet at the movement’s end'. 

The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra woodwinds
© BBC/Chris Christodoulou

'From the dreamlike opening with weirdly twanging, muted harp effects and more offstage cowbells, to the galloping brass and trilling birdlike woodwinds, the BRSO demonstrated their unquestionable prowess and ability to produce stunning orchestral colour'.

'In the finale, Rattle and the BRSO excelled'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Sir Simon Rattle & the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
© Nick Boston

Gazzaniga's Alcina's Island - a fizzing romp from Bampton Classical Opera at The Barn, Old Walland

Thomas Blunt (Conductor)

Jeremy Gray (Director)

Christian Hey (Assistant Director)

Karen Halliday (Movement Director)

Inna Husieva (Alcina)

Sarah Chae (Lesbia)

Charlotte Badham (Clizia)

Dafydd Allen (La Rose)

Monwabisi Lindi (Brunoro)

Jonathan Eyers (Don Lopes)

Magnus Walker (James)

Owain Rowlands (Baron Brikbrak)

The Orchestra of Bampton Classical Opera

Bampton Classical Opera

6.30pm, Saturday 31 August, 2024

The Barn at Old Walland, Wadhurst

Giuseppe Gazzaniga (1743-1818): L'Isola d'Alcina (Alcina's Island)

(libretto by Giovanni Bertati (1735-1815), translated by Gilly French) 

Sarah Chae (Lesbia), Monwabisi Lindi (Brunoro),
Owain Rowlands, (Brikbrak), Charlotte Badham (Clizia),
Jonathan Eyers (Don Lopes) & Dafydd Allen (La Rose) 
© Anthony Hall

A Frenchman, an Italian, a Spaniard and an Englishman all walk into a barn… And if that sounds like the start of a joke, well, Gazzaniga’s take on L’Isola d’Alcina, or Alcina’s Island, is a jolly romp, packed full of witty jibes at national stereotypes, all done with affectionate wit, and director, Jeremy Gray’s production really brings out the playful comedy throughout. So librettist Giovanni Bertati’s take here on the original story in Ariosto’s Orlando Furiosa (which in turn, drew on Circe in Homer’s Odyssey) is that the four men declare an oath to resist the enchantment of Alcina, but it takes the efforts of Alcina’s servants, and the late arrival of a German, Baron Brikbak to secure their escape (or do they?...). With three performances behind them in Oxfordshire & Gloucestershire, Bampton Classical Opera visited the charming setting of The Barn at Old Walland in East Sussex for another outing, before their final performance at Smith Square Hall (Friday 13 September). 

 

Magnus Walker (James), Monwabisi Lindi (Brunoro),
Jonathan Eyers (Don Lopes) & Inna Husieva (Alcina)
© Anthony Hall

In the considerably smaller space provided by the stage at The Barn, the cast nevertheless delivered a joyful performance, the restrictions of space somehow even adding to the comedic effect. For example, Brikbrak and Lesbia creeping back and forth across the stage in their attempt to escape from Alcina, only a couple of feet away from them made the nonsense of it all even funnier. However, I was nervous, thankfully unnecessarily, that someone – particularly the very tall Don Lopes – would crack their head ducking on and off the stage. Apparently, some scenery items had to be jettisoned (a lion was banished to sit on the lawn outside the stage door), but the staging and simple lighting effects were effective nonetheless. Costumes were bright and eclectic, with ample use of beachwear and props, and identifying features for the men – a fedora and red cape for the Spaniard, striped top for the Frenchman, you get the idea. Alcina had a couple of costume changes, ending with a glorious cape revealing lights and dragons for her parting curse on the escapees. 

 

Owain Rowlands (Brikbrak)
& Sarah Chae (Lesbia)
© Anthony Hall

The music is lively and bright throughout, and Blunt and his small band of players took things at a spirited pace. Ensemble was on the whole pretty tight, apart from a couple of pickups, and there was some fine playing from the horns in particular, with incisive harpsichord accompaniments to the brief recitatives from Alex Norton. Whilst there aren’t really any showstopping arias, the music pushes along the action well, and the balance between the band and singers was carefully judged throughout. And there are some fine ensemble pieces, with a glorious opening chorus from the four men, and a joyous septet at the end of Act I. Gilly French's translation also added fizz to proceedings, with some great rhyming puns and even a reversal of 'Your tiny hand is frozen' for Alcina when she realises Brikbrak's power in a handshake. 'The Frenchman has gone doolally' led to a clever string of rhymes, but unfortunately I couldn't quite catch them all at the rapid pace. And the Eurovision Song Conests even gets a look in, when the singers compete to find the best 'Arietta' to make La Rose feel 'better' after drinking too much of Alcina's potion.

 

Bampton Classical Opera at The Barn
© Nick Boston

Inna Husieva’s Alcina began on the lighter side, but gained in power as her role developed, achieving suitable scariness by the end. The strongest vocal performances of the evening came from Dafydd Allen as La Rose, with mellow tone and great comedic gusto throughout, and Charlotte Badham as Clizia, delivering the most assured vocal line with equally strong comedic instincts. But when it came to comedy, Owain Rolands as Brikbrak took this to even greater heights with a fine line in gestures and silent actions alongside his rich baritone lines. Monwabisi Lindi’s Brunoro had a suitably Italianate tenorial twang, with some deft coloratura, and Jonathan Eyers was commanding as Don Lopes, with some fancy cape work as well. Sarah Chae’s Lesbia was bright and playful, and Magnus Walker’s James was light and engaging, with suitably English reserve. As a company, they blended well together in the ensemble pieces. Although squeezing all eight on stage at once was clearly a challenge, they made it work and clearly were all having a ball.

 

All in all, this was another great success for Bampton Classical Opera on their third visit to The Barn, and we look forward to their return next year.

The Barn at Old Walland
© Nick Boston

Inna Husieva (Alcina)
 © Jeremy Gray

Alcina's Island at The Barn
© Jeremy Gra