All Saints Church, Hove
Friday May 13th at 8.30pm
The Marian Consort in the sublime magnificence of All Saints Church in Hove was a wonderful pairing, the acoustics of this marvellous church allowing the resonant rolls of sound that the overlapping harmonic voices of the Consort generated.
The programmeĀ combined the breathtakingly melancholic requiem setting of SchĆ¼tzās Musikalische Exequien from 1635 with specially commissioned work by David Fennessy which were interlaced to be performed in response to the austere brilliance of SchĆ¼tzās music.
Itās a beguiling combination of music and style Fennessyās new work bolding picking up motive’s and echo’s whilst holding itās own space and place. I was enchanted in the ways that the singer’s used Fennessyās new pieces to answer the plaintive lyrical articulations of the requiem, adding depth to the reflection of the music. The crisp annunciation of the funeral German was precise and allowed the music to follow the complex changing patters of single voice and ensemble. The pairing lulled me into a reflective state of contemplative bliss and the concert passed in the blink of an eye which seemed to last for eternity.
I adore the opportunity to bliss out and as I was wrapped in the pure voices of the consort, bouncing ideas of mortality and immoralityĀ back and fore, over and under, though and part of, my mind dissolved into the complexity of this extraordinary masterpiece. Itās pairing of chant and solo, or harmonic and single voice, of pairings and sharing is sublime, evoking a strong sense of belief and humility before struggles of fate and destiny. With Jan Waterfield & Peter McCarthyās mournful and perfect continuo playing this was a treat, as dusk fell and the voices rose, my soul fluttered.
An evening ofĀ evocative and thrilling singing perfection in the theatrical architectural brilliance of All Saints.
Full details of the concert here on the festival website site
Rory McCleery, director
Alexandra Kidgell, Elspeth Piggott, soprano
Martha McLorinan, Judy Louie Brown, alto
Will Wright, Chris Lombard, tenor
Jon Stainsby, Chris Webb, bass
Jan Waterfield, Peter McCarthy, continuo
More info on the Brighton Festival, which runs to May 30th, here
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