Reviewed: Canticum Novum, OSC/Sprattand Kelly, Collins
Canticum Novum, OSC/Spratt
St Ann's Church, Dublin
Bach - Cantatas 113, 199, 179.
Conductor Geoffrey Spratt and his chamber choir Canticum Novum made rich contributions as this week's visitors to the Orchestra of St Cecilia's Bach Cantata series. Spratt's approach to the instrumental element was thoughtful, attentive and infectious. Though the OSC are not a period band, their playing was more than usually well informed by period practice, which resulted in some sculpted and expressive obbligatos (and an extremely adroit one for flute).
In the continuo department too, vivid phrasing and a light touch ensured that things could never become earthbound. Even the slowest- moving harmonies seemed charged with dance-like momentum. These lively sounds were carefully balanced against the 25 choral voices, who confidently and securely negotiated the twists and turns of the opening chorus of Cantata 179.
Perhaps because of their raised, central position, the tenors and basses could sometimes be a little too prominent. The sopranos and altos took their chance to shine, however, in a stirring, unison intonation of the cantus firmus chorale of Cantata 113.
With bass soloist Nigel Williams laid low by laryngitis, alto soloist Alison Browner had two unexpected numbers added to her schedule; she effortlessly took on his aria and one recitative - an octave higher, naturally. In another bass recitative, tenor Robin Tritschler revealed splendid resonance at the lower end of his range.
The bulk of the solo singing, however, fell to Lynda Lee. In an assured, involving and diligent performance of Cantata 199 for soprano alone, she was characteristically energetic and patiently persuasive. - Andrew Johnstone
Kelly, Collins
Hugh Lane Gallery, Dublin
Schumann - Dichterliebe. Songs by Rodgers, Willson.
Ouch - what is it about pain and beauty? All that aesthetic potential spring-loaded into the emotional suffering of the human condition, specifically where it concerns the affairs of the heart? Whether or not it was partly because probably everyone in the audience had "been there", American tenor Paul Austin Kelly and Irish pianist Dearbhla Collins completely gripped the jam-packed Hugh Lane Gallery during their 30-minute traversal of Schumann's Dichterliebe, his song-cycle on poems by Heinrich Heine on the age-old theme of unrequited love.
In short, beauty from pain.
Heine (1797-1856) and Schumann (1810-1856) were both artists in a romantic era full of indulgent license and hearts on sleeves. This sometimes leads to a corresponding indulgence in performance. What Kelly and Collins did, however, was avoid indulgence and allow the melded art of poet and composer to make its own, often achingly beautiful impact. This is not to say that the performers were neutral, for they were anything but.
Kelly is a bel canto specialist, heard in Dublin last year in Opera Ireland's La Cenerentola. He brought the same unmannered clarity and subtle, intelligent expressiveness to Schumann as he did then to Rossini's prince. There is an appealing tenderness in his voice, from the firm, baritone-like richness of his lower register to his easy, unfussy quality at the top. How well this served Heine's emotional range from quiet reflection to spiteful outburst.
For contrast - and then some - the pair closed with showtunes from Richard Rodgers and Meredith Willson. Although these presented a lighter view of love than Schumann's, Kelly's performances were characterised by a winsome zeal. - Michael Dungan
