United Kingdom Various, Britten Sinfonia’s Musical Everests: Thomas Gould (violin/director), Miranda Dale (violin), Caroline Dearnley (cello) / Agata Zajac (conductor; just for the Maconchy). Milton Court Concert Hall, London. 24.5.2023. (JC)
Corelli – Concerto Grosso, Op.6, No.2
Tippett – Fantasia Concertante on a theme of Corelli
Elizabeth Maconchy – Symphony for Double String Orchestra
Joseph Phibbs – Flame and Shadow
Walton – Finale from Variations on an Elizabethan Theme
Britten Sinfonia as soon as once more delivered a spectacular live performance which was a combination of revolutionary programming and thrilling enjoying (them being a big conductor-less ensemble, inventive director Meurig Bowen has deemed it ‘extreme chamber music’, an apt description to say the least). Titled ‘Musical Everests: The Year 1953’, the programme largely included works written in 1953, a major 12 months which marked the late Queen’s coronation in addition to the scaling of Mount Everest. The Britten Sinfonia selected two items written for the Aldeburgh Festival of that 12 months, Tippett’s large-scale Corelli Fantasia and Walton’s temporary but exuberant finale from Variations on an Elizabethan Theme. Another 1953 composition excluded from the Aldeburgh line-up was additionally programmed: Elizabeth Machoncy’s Symphony for Double String Orchestra, whereas Joseph Phibbs’s Flame and Shadow, written for Britten Sinfonia this 12 months, continues its world premiere tour at Milton Court Concert Hall.
If thirty iPads onstage hooked up to stands, glowing softly as they await the gamers, appeared a barely eerie and jarring sight, the enjoying which adopted as quickly because the performers stepped into the highlight was something however. The Corelli Concerto Grosso in F main which opened the live performance was performed elegantly and gracefully, with an exquisite sense of communication between the concertino part (the small group of soloists), but it surely was programming this Concerto Grosso proper earlier than the Tippett Fantasia, which takes musical materials from that concerto as its start line, that basically revealed the partaking dialog between two nice composers throughout centuries and cultures. Having heard the Corelli instantly earlier than, we might see how Tippett pays homage to the Baroque model after which step by step shifting in the direction of his personal musical language. In the efficiency of the Tippett, I felt as if I had wandered via musical time with out having realised it till the unique theme returned. This sort of programming – pairing a chunk of up to date music with its Baroque muse – works properly in highlighting the distinctive traits of each items. One should additionally applaud Thomas Gould for his energetic route, which at all times appeared calm and inspiring even because the ensemble navigated the difficult fugue in the course of the Tippett Fantasia.
In the second half the Britten Sinfonia demonstrated their means of introducing obscure items to their viewers by bringing Machoncy’s Symphony for Double String Orchestra to the desk which, as Bowen admitted, not one of the gamers had performed earlier than and had additionally to learn from a handwritten rating. Yet it was convincingly offered and supplied an exquisite introduction to an thrilling piece with a lot substance. I used to be utterly taken from the jolting opening to the very finish by the riveting rhythms and counterpoint which stored my ears perked up all through all 4 actions. Not to say how troublesome it was to navigate difficult rhythms with a double string orchestra! Credit have to be given to Agata Zajac, known as in particularly for this event so as to assist information the ensemble via the extremely difficult music, in order that the Britten Sinfonia would possibly ship as convincing a efficiency of this little-known piece as potential, and to vouch for its status.
Machoncy’s Symphony was adopted by Joseph Phibbs’s Flame and Shadow, a chunk in 4 brief actions that takes its title from that of a verse assortment by American poet Sara Teasdale, however which takes extra of its musical inspiration – because the composer advised us – from the string writing of Frank Bridge and Benjamin Britten. If Machoncy’s symphony is a research in rhythm, then Phibbs’s composition is a research in texture. I used to be taken by how realistically Phibbs evoked the hum of neon lights within the aptly titled first motion ‘Neon’, and the sound created by the string ensemble, with its shimmering texture, demonstrated how properly acquainted Phibbs is with the ensemble’s textural capabilities. In reality, I consider it’s this play with texture that makes the title of the composition becoming – the fixed flitting between gentle and darkness in a moderately humorous approach.
Finally, the Britten Sinfonia put us all in a jubilant temper by ending the live performance with a superb finale from Walton’s Variations, rounding off a night of joyful discoveries and vigorous musical conversations throughout the centuries.
Jeremy Chan