When a concert programme doesn’t specify exactly what is on offer, it can lead to some intrigue.
I was interested to see what Dundee Choral Union had in mind with their “and music by Purcell and SS Wesley”.
This was to accompany the main work on the programme, Bob Chilcott’s St John Passion, and as this was new to me I was just as eager to hear that as I was to find out what was on the same bill.
The “and music” was Purcell’s Funeral Music for Queen Mary (1695) and two anthems by Wesley, whose contribution to choral music in the 19th Century is immensely significant.
These works constituted a short part one of the DCU’s concert on Sunday in the Caird Hall.
Nervous start
I thought the chorus were pretty nervy at the start of the Purcell, but were more relaxed, more confident in the Wash Me Throughly and Blessed Be The God And Father anthems.
This approach and the excellent solo work of soprano Zoe Drummond was the spring-board to a second part of the concert which had a huge amount going for it and very little to detract.
I thought Chilcott’s interpretation of the passion – totally different in form and make-up of JS Bach’s famous work – was inventive and cunningly contrived.
Reason one – the inclusion of his re-harmonisation of five passion-tide hymns which saw the DCU in excellent voice.
Beautifully constructed
In fact, all the choral passages were beautifully constructed and beautifully performed. Reason two – his orchestration of organ, brass, timpani and strings, which was extremely effective. Reason three – excellent narrative and interaction between the soloists.
The only detraction was once or twice when I lost the chorus to full organ and brass, but the merits of the performance more than out-weighed these singular moments.
Particularly good to hear were the five Meditation movements in which the choir came over loud and clear, an indication to musical director Derek Clark’s excellent schooling.
Fine performances of any Passion hinge on that of the Evangelist as it is he who binds it all together.
In tenor Osian Wyn Bowen, I felt we had one of sheer class, a story-teller of clarity and conviction. But he needed principals to interact with, and he had real quality on hand in Phil Gault (Jesus) and Francis Church (Pilate). I also enjoyed Zoe’s combination with the chorus in two of the Meditations.
From an accompanying point of view, Morley Whitehead’s organ playing was its usual meticulous self, and if I had to pick out one of the other instrumentalists, it would be cellist Mark Bailley for his quasi-continuo.
Thank you, DCU, for introducing me to a fine choral work, and for performing it so well.
Such occasions deserve a bigger audience and it’s a shame if people were put off by the unknown quantity of the programme. Unfamiliar doesn’t always mean unlikeable as Sunday’s concert ably demonstrated.
