STANLEY SPENCER R. A. (1891-1959)
CHRIST PREACHING AT COOKHAM REGATTA: Listening from Punts (1953)
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REVIEW
The Guildford Philharmonic Choir, Wooburn Singers and Forest Phllharmomc Orchestra,
Guildford Cathedral, Saturday 13 March 1999
The cathedral was full on Saturday night for what must be one of the most ambiticus concerts of the
season and in effect one of the most thrilling. The Guildford Philharmonic Choir, joined by the
Wooburn Singers and Forest Philharmonic Orchestra, were conducted by Jeremy Backhouse in a
daring but satisfying programme: Bruckner’s Mass in E minor and Mahler’s massive Second
Symphonyin C minor, the ‘Resurrection’.
Mahler’s second symphony is in soms ways a probiematic piece—Mahler himself wrote and then
withdrew a programme for the 85-minute work, which encompasses a huge emotional range, from the
charming Lindler of the sccond movement to the apocalyptic climaxes of the fifth, with its combined
forces of soprano and alto soloists, choir, off-stage brass and large orchestra. It attempts a grand
scheme and, in the last movement especially, can often seem disjointed or—for all the intensity of its
climaxes—slightly hollow. Under Backhouse's direction, however, this was a compelling and utterly
convincing performance. From the aggressive cello and bass figure that starts the first movement it
was obvious that this was to be a good performance; by the ead of that movement it was clear it was
to be a masterly one.
The heart of the work, cmotionally speaking, lies in the final two movements. The calm fourth
movement, entitled Urlichs, was sung with gorgeous tone and just the right sense of innocence by alto
Jeanettic Ager. She was joined in the last movement by Katy Tansey, well-matched, but sounding
slightly ill at ease, and by the choir who were in fine voice. The complex structure of this movemeat
was paced confidently so that one was led through its reminiscences of earlier material to an engulfing
climax—which with its roaring drums and tam-tam was truly awe-inspiring—and beyond it to a
sublime and ecstatic conclusion.
The playing of the¢ FPO was marvellous, gutsy and idiomatic: in particular there was some fine brass
playing. The body of strings was perhaps too small to achieve a convincingly full-toned sound, and
they did not quite capture the right “Viennese’ quality at the start of the second movement, but their
ensemble was tight and they navigated the Scherzo’s many awkward corners with ease, even at
Backhouse’s cracking tempo. No playing safe here!
'
If the orchestra were given chance to show their mettle in the symphony, the choir demonstrated theirs
in the first half of the concert, in Bruckner’s taxing choral writing. The Mass in E minor, written and
revised over a period of some twenty years, was conceived initially for open-air perfarmance: the
scoring for wind and brass reflects this, as do the often bold musical effects, but there are also many
passages of subtlety and calm beauty.
The sight of the choir ranged on high tiers at the crossing of the cathedml was impressive, and their
sound was 10 less 50. There was a breadth and nobility of sonority which was well suited to this
music. They conveyed with skill all the music's changes of mood, some of which turn on a
sixpence-—for example, at the words ‘et expecto resurrectionem mortuorwm’ in the Credo. Dynamic
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contrasts were always effective, from the vehemence of parts of the Kyrie (o the almost expressionless
‘crucifixus’, and there was some highly expressive phrasing in the Benedictus. The words were
crystal-clear throughout with well-unified vowel sounds, though occasionally final consonants
obilruded more than was necessary in this acoustic. The gear-crunching modulations which are so
much a feature of Bruckne:’s style, and which so often can cause probiems for choirs, were handled
effortlessly (the fruit of much careful rehearsal, doubtless), as were the wide bass leaps at the start of
the Agnus Dei.
Throughout this work, and the symphony, Backhouse's purposeful direction ensured that whilst
individual phrases were given the space they needed to speak they were never allowed to detract from
a firm scnse of the music’s larger architecture. The enthusiastic appreciation of the audience and
performers alike was richly descrved.
David Bray
(David Bray is Managing Editor for Trinity College London, the International Examinations Board. Formerly
editor of the magazine Harpsichord & Fortepiano, he has written for the Musical Times, The Music Magazine,
Music & Musicians and a variety of other papers and journals. He is also active as a composer, conductor,
pianist and tcacher.)
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