United Kingdom Szymanowski, Brahms: Iwona Sobotka (soprano), Hanna Hipp (mezzo-soprano), Florian Boesch (baritone), London Symphony Chorus (refrain director: Simon Halsey), London Symphony Orchestra / Sir Simon Rattle (conductor). Barbican Hall, London, 17.12.2022. (JR)
Szymanowski– Stabat Mater
Brahms – A German Requiem, Op.45
In these pre-Christmas days of mince pies and hurried procuring, it’s helpful to mirror on the which means of life and the grief of dropping a cherished one. Sir Simon Rattle introduced us with two works on this theme, in music which transforms sorrow into sonic magnificence.
I used to be most to listen to Szymanowski’s Stabat Mater in a reside efficiency, not an on a regular basis occasion. For many, that is the composer’s vocal and orchestral masterpiece. Apparently Szymanowski, on finishing the final motion, reportedly exclaimed ‘At last, I have written something really beautiful’. Rattle is aware of this work intimately, having recorded it in 1993 throughout his Birmingham period with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. This is each music and a composer Rattle clearly believes in.
It is a modest piece each by way of the scale of orchestra and the brevity of its six actions. The complete work solely lasts some 25 minutes; and but it manages to be an expressive and resonant work. The music combines Polish folks tunes with Renaissance contrapuntal practices. The soundworld is approachable; composed in 1925, there may be a lot modernity within the piece, I used to be reminded of works by Britten and Martinů, written a number of a long time later.
Much of the work is sorrowful, in fact, however with two fantastic soloists and a refrain on kind (singing a cappella at occasions), the work total overcomes the gloom. Florian Boesch was sturdy, stentorian and crystal clear in his declamatory passages. Polish soprano Iwona Sobotka had the viewers transfixed by her gleaming, ravishing high notes. The work actually has some moments of pure magic, particularly for the soprano soloist. Polish mezzo-soprano Hanna Hipp’s dark-hued timbre was the right accompaniment.
A efficiency of Brahms’s mighty German Requiem is sort of an on a regular basis occasion, so it wants one thing particular to garner consideration. Rattle gave us a mature, considerate interpretation, about common so far as timing goes. There have been no gear adjustments of tempo, no facial grimaces, loads of dynamic shading which the refrain adopted to the letter. Of course, as Simon Halsey is their refrain director, and given his shut collaboration with Rattle over many a long time, there was little doubt that tempi can be aligned. Surprisingly, this was the primary outing on stage for the refrain for the reason that pandemic and so they have been visibly glad to be again. They had actually had loads of time to rehearse these two items, the Szymanowski would have been new to many.
The orchestra was stored small to permit the refrain to be heard; the acoustics of the Barbican Hall are quite muddy and an enormous orchestra might simply drown out a refrain in the back of the stage. Their German diction was faultless; entries precise, and so they had loads of quantity (there are 120 of them). I simply sincerely hope they’ve youthful male singers coming via to interchange fairly a number of who have to be reaching the tip of their singing careers.
The opening ’Selig sind’ was hushed to the minimal and best, and intonation maintained. In the second motion, ‘Denn alles Fleisch’ it was the massive climaxes which exhilarated, with assist from some exuberant timpani. Boesch remained his dependable, sturdy self. The orchestra accompanied with finesse, particularly in ‘Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen’. Star of the present was Sobotka in ‘Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit’ who sang, and not using a rating, with shifting eloquence and ravishing excessive register – the refrain remained seated with their hushed accompaniment. Rattle had the whole lot beneath full management, together with stopping the viewers applauding on the finish of the penultimate motion and holding his palms aloft on the very finish in order to not break the spell – it was a most satisfying efficiency.
John Rhodes