‘Cream on ice cream’ - but it certainly worked
AN
all-Rachmaninov
pro-
There is much more than
revolution. But he could find
The Vivace Chorus certainly
Rachmaninov returned to mu-
dramatic
gloominess and lyrical melancholy. Rachmaninov had good
great fun in playing with his
sang the Russian with confi-
sical faith with the well-known
seemed to flourish in depicting
children.
dence,
second Piano
The
the drama. The soprano, Sara
reason to eschew cheerfulness
as a result of catastrophic re-
The concert opened with a
selection from what is known
there were a few linguistic vari-
soloist, Francis Pott, gave eve-
Lian Owen had a ringing tone
ations, this did not damage the
rything
views
as the Vespers (a liturgical
work). These demonstrate a
overall effect. The Vespers were
piece. He said
Rachmaninov
Brynmor John, was especially
marked
singing and with great dynamic
control. In the resurrection
Hymn there was real joy - not a
could be astringent as well as
rapturous and he showed this
in his confident, steady open-
effective as a rich and expres-
different side of Rachmaninov
ing. Pott is a man who can cre-
sheer excitement of The Loud
of some
of his
early
works and the struggle to live
outside Russia following the
than the
.
lyrical
rhapsody.
These are sung without accompaniment and depend entirely
on the skill of the choir.
even
with
common
fervour,
great
emotion
and
if
chordal
for
Rachmaninov’s music.
to
Concerto.
this
much
loved
and
vein.
the
The
baritone,
chorus
Gareth
sive singer.
The chorus excelled in the
ate atmosphere with his finger-
Alarum Bells and the atmos-
tips. And later when all was
pheric The Mournful Iron Bells.
The question whether to sing
His work was shot with a
unleashed we could allow our
Jeremy
in Russian was resolved by al-
sense of mortality with human
hearts to throb in sympathy
both to sustain fine control and
lowing the beauty of the Slavic
transience which is seen both
with the resounding beat. The
yet allow the music to happen.
language to express both the
in the Vespers and The Bells.
Brandenburg
Vespers and The Bells. The confidence with which this was
According to Pott in his talk,
splendid throughout, my only
Rachmaninov
wrote religious
criticism being that the brass
done was seen in the opening
music while being somewhat
sometimes drowned the piano.
of the Vespers: a very sound
outside any religious faith.
After a serious breakdown
The concluding cantata, The
opening to the concert.
Sinfonia
were
Bells, shows Rachmaninov in
-
So
it
Backhouse
cannot
be
was
able
doubted
what diversity can be found in
Rachmaninov’s work and the
all-Rachmaninov evening was
a thorough success.
Jim Herrick