BRIGHTON 16: WHO MADE THEE?
Brighton’s choral community is so wonderful, both participants and audiences, as we hear and see so often in the wonderful programming of BREMF, the early music festival and of course our extraordinary community choir scene. Amongst those groups is Brighton 16, a choir that I have had the pleasure of hearing many times in recent years, this time performing in the extraordinarily beautiful St Batholomew’s Church. It’s a vast space, as we all know here in Brighton echoing the dimensions of Noah’s Ark as related in Genesis 7, and can on occasion be rather unforgiving acoustically. But not on this occasion, in fact there was a surprising clarity to the sound and one that suited the chosen programme.
The theme for the evening was sacred and spiritual and except for two of the composers the majority were living and mainly female, a welcome redressing of the balance for sure.
The concert started with Arvo Pärt’s Which Was The Son Of, a passage from the Gospel Of Luke in which the line of ascendancy from Christ to Adam and the God is recanted. Amazingly something that could easily be repetitive is transformed by Pärt’s beautiful and complex scoring and shifts of tone as the list moves from vocal part to vocal part. A stunning and surprisingly moving work.
Next Canadian Ruth Watson Henderson’s Make Me A World, a setting of James Weldon Johnson’s poem The Creation, now titled Make Me A World, a stunning work that seemed so terribly poignant given the state of the world at this moment in time. This piece was accompanied on piano by Olly Parr, fluttering bursts, and the occasional voice of God represented by a rich baritone.
Caroline Shaw’s and the swallow we are told in the excellent programme notes, was inspired by the Syrian refugee crisis using words taken from Psalm 84. This delicate setting was almost dream-like and ended with a soft percussive motif that we are told symbolises the falling of autumn rain, whether it does or not is of course irrelevant, it is just a fascinating detail.
Round me falls the night is next, Annabel Rooney’s setting of the text from William Romani’s hymn, a work that showed just how precise the Brighton 16 are in both pitch and timing, a precision that is not clinical but clear evidence of their exacting rehearsal process and dedication to perfection.
A real highlight of the evening for me next, Eric Whiteacre’s When David Heard takes just a few words and through almost relentless repetition expresses a depth of grief that becomes totally tangible. Not for all tastes I suspect but I personally found it deeply moving.
John Taverner’s settings of William Blake’s The Lamb and The Tyger lifted the mood, two works perhaps in familiarity changing the tone for a moment before hearing Lili Boulanger’s Hymne au soleil which given the age of the composer who died at 24, is remarkably sophisticated.
In contrast Joby Talbot’s The Wishing Tree had a shrill percussive opening that stabbed into the calm of the space before settling into a more pastoral passage punctuated by soaring soprano interjections.
The programme concluded with My Guardian Angel by Judith Weir which artistic director an Matt Jelf revealed would invite we the audience to take part, a scary moment for some, including me, but after a short introduction and instruction I felt encourage to join in, albeit rather quietly. I felt sure that those around me and Mr Jelf would appreciate my sotto voce for sure. Five repetitions of a fourteen bar chant brought an evening of exquisite music to a delightful close.
Above all the evening was evidence that this choir is performing at an extraordinarily high level, stiletto sharp precision ringing clear in the magical atmosphere of St Bart’s. Programming that is both challenging to them and to we the audience, and all the better for that, much as I enjoy being entertained, I equally enjoy being exposed to new work, and as I write I am listening again to the pieces that I heard last night. You can also enjoy the choir by going to their website where there are recordings to enjoy and dates for future concerts, www.brighton16.co.uk
Andrew Kay
1 March
St Bartholomew’s Church
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