What: Waves Upon Waves
Where: Auckland Town Hall
When: Saturday 15 November 2014
Review by: William Dart, Monday 17 November
Auckland Choral's Waves upon Waves certainly benefited from one of the most imaginative programme covers of the season.
The subtle undulating blues of Elizabeth Thomson's Kermadec image lifted my spirits from time to time during the concert's rather taxing first half.
The Reinhard Flatischler and Johnny Bertl work that provided a title for the evening made lofty promises; among other things, it was going to reach our mental, emotional and motoric realms and establish rhythm as a mirror for deeper thought. It certainly won over the audience with its sonic spectacle.
Flatischler and Bertl were kept busy at their multicultural percussion station while Uwe Grodd drew the very best from Auckland Choral and Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
However, at just under half an hour, it was too long. It was also too fragmented, meshing easy minimalism with almost unctuously tonal writing, soaring at one point into a theme perilously close to Edith Piaf's Hymne a l'amour.
Call me prosaic but, in among the hundreds of words of high-flown philosophy, I would have welcomed a simple explanation of the Takatina Gamala chanted by the choristers.
Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony brought in soloists and singers from City Choir Dunedin for an impressive choral contingent.
This 1910 score, the first totally choral symphony, is a major piece. Uwe Grodd was clearly aware of its significance and ensured that its iconic opening, Behold, the sea itself surged through the hall.
A Sea Symphony is very much part of the 19-century English oratorio tradition; recurring Elgarian sweeps, stirringly delivered, reminded me of last year's fine Dream of Gerontius.
David Griffiths, singing from the heart with his customary intelligence, did not always illuminate Walt Whitman's words with the vibrancy required.
Like soprano soloist Ursula Langmayr, his voice was sometimes submerged in the orchestral tide.
Both were at their most effective in the last movement, finding the personal in Whitman's universal.
The line "O soul thou pleasest me, I thee", was beautifully woven through solo strings and cool woodwind, with Langmayr's glorious top G proudly floating over a magical orchestral shimmer.
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label reviews. Show all posts
Monday, November 17, 2014
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Divine performance, thunderous applause
Haydn's The Creation, NZSO and City Choir Dunedin, 3 September 2014, Dunedin Town Hall
Haydn’s The Creation presents a journey through a fantastic wonderland where man presides over an infinitely bountiful natural world, where love and luxury prevail equitably. It celebrates a miraculous creation devoid of lurking snakes and leaves the listener replete with unworldly exaltation.In the Dunedin Town Hall, it was divinely performed to a full house by the NZSO, the City Choir Dunedin and soloists soprano Madeleine Pierard, tenor Robin Tritschler and bass Jonathan Lemalu under the inspired direction of Nicholas McGegan.
Although the choir’s part-singing sounded a little muddied at times when concentration was required, overall their sound was cohesive, dedicated and articulate with strong entries.
The solo voices melded beautifully together. All showed tremendous strength in softer passages with Lemalu’s tender tones being particularly pleasing.
Pierard was also notable for her delicacy and agility throughout her range. Their duet as Adam and Eve became as tender a love song as an oratorio can properly allow, enriched with the best of human quality. Tritschler’s tenor was clear with rich finesse.
The work rises gracefully, yet with great moment, out of silence. It relates the creation of life which, banishing gloom, evolves over the mythical seven days, divided into two parts, with a third devoted to Adam and Eve in Eden, to bloom with the simple rapture, joyful bliss, that the natural world inspires.
The playful word painting of water, birds, roaring lions and sinuous tigers were mostly successful.
While Lemalu’s depiction of lowly insects drew a laugh from the audience, the farmyard sounds of chickens and cattle failed to make their wit resound.
Although this long work sometimes tests the audience’s power of concentration, this performance was rewarded with thunderous stamping and prolonged applause. Contemporary cynicism was banished for the night.
Bravo.
Reviewed for the Otago Daily Times by Marian Poole, 4 September 2014.
Monday, July 28, 2014
Triple treat from Dunedin choristers
A near capacity house gave full praise for excellent performances by a showcase of local talent. Three choirs, City Choir Dunedin conducted by David Burchell, and Cantus Columba and Columba Junior Madrigal Choir conducted by Richard Madden, and soloists Cathy Sim (Soprano), Calla Knudsen-Hollebon (Soprano), James Burchell (Alto), Peter Wigglesworth (Tenor), and Clinton Fung (Bass), were most ably accompanied by section leaders from the Southern Sinfonia, pianists Sandra Crawshaw and John van Buskirk and organist Simon Mace. A well-devised programme of twentieth century works brought welcome contemporary relevance.
David Hamilton’s spirituals are a successful meld of Black American and Church of England sounds. City Choir’s enjoyment of the rhythms in Whosoever Will and Walk You in the Light produced aural security. However, divided into three, they never securely conveyed the intricate diversities of Dance-Song to the Creator.
Cantus Columba presented Minoi Minoi, Schubert’s The Lord is my Shepherd and George Harrison’s Here comes the Sun. The choir is a splendid collection of pure juvenile voices and a joy to listen to.
Britten’s Rejoice in the Lamb is an occasionally disjointed work, with quirky rhythms and melodic lines and some interesting word painting from the Organ. City Choir’s articulation and aesthetic interpretation was very good.
Knudsen-Hollebon’s treble solo was stunningly beautiful with good attention to the words. James Burchell’s alto solo reveals a good voice hampered by nerves and some difficulty in the lower register. Wigglesworth’s tenor voice grows in both richness and strength and Fung’s bass recitative was also good.
Rutter’s Mass of the Children was the true highlight of the evening. All performers captured its excellently composed heart-warming beauty excellently. Sim and Fung’s voices, the wind ensemble, harp, organ and percussion and the combined choirs melded perfectly and produced pure joy.
Bravo.
Review by Marian Poole for the ODT, 28 July 2014.
Thursday, December 12, 2013
Choir and orchestra impressive
Tuesday evening's performance in the Dunedin Town Hall of Handel's Messiah was one of the best I have heard in Dunedin.
City Choir Dunedin with its recent 150th anniversary events and Southern Sinfonia's trip to Japan has seen both these groups step up to impressive new levels in performance.
Musical Director David Burchell conducted an unabridged version from the harpsichord, and the standing ovation and long applause from a large audience confirm my sentiment.
Sinfonia's strings maintained a particularly united tone throughout - tight and free from "loose ends", and trumpet solos were excellent.
Clarity and pulse were seldom compromised and the orchestral "solo" Pastoral Symphony was a beautifully articulated cantabile highlight. Good dynamics and choral blend in Glory to God in the Highest and a brilliant delivery of And with His Stripes we are Healed were choral highlights.
Soloists on this occasion were Lois Johnston, whose pure-toned quality soprano range excelled throughout, with artistic florid embellishment and melismatic passages, several at virtuosic tempi.
Alto Amanda Cole has fine tone and projection in the upper register, which added lustre to decorated cadence points, but there was a lack of strength in the lower voice where many of the solo lines sat, and despite her passion and sincerity the sound failed to dominate, becoming lost in the string blend.
Tenor David Hamilton delivered his text with rapport and strength - such a convincing soloist with mellifluous tone. His commanding narrative in Comfort Ye set a standard for all that followed.
The bass soloist was Jonathan Lemalu, whose voice I find is changing from the youthful clear-toned bass which many locals watched develop. The unique wonderful richness in the timbre remains as does his professional delivery and countenance, but at times heavy vibrato muddies intonation definition in the lower scalic passages.
A triumphant performance overall to herald the festive season.
Review by Elizabeth Bouman for the Otago Daily Times, 12 December 2013.
From Melissa:
Was so Absolutely Fantastic!! Loved the Choir and the Musicians were Brilliant. Wonderful production.
From Catherine:
I think this was the best performance you've done - congratulations to everyone involved!
From Rosalind:
A sparkling performance from start to finish! The tone clear and bright throughout, beautifully light and dancing in the fast numbers (All We Like Sheep, His Yoke is Easy, He Shall Purify etc) a full-bodied and thrilling sound in the big choruses but never ponderous or heavy. My niece who had just arrived from UK where she has heard many Messiah performances pronounced it "Storming!"
From Jane:
As you may know, I was ushering last night, not singing. I thought I would pass on to you a comment I overheard as patrons were leaving. One old gentleman (probably around 80) said: "It's the best Messiah I've heard for years!" Judging by his age and the fact that I've seen him at many many classical music concerts over the years, I believe it to have been a heartfelt comment.
From Anne:
Friends thought it was the best performance they had heard. And I really liked this from another friend of mine: “One of the best parts of that Messiah last night was the altos! You all were so smooth and strong.”
From Marguerite:
I was walking down Moray Place after the concert and I met two women whom I didn't know from Adam who said, "What a wonderful performance, it was great"!
From Judy:
The Messiah was the best performance I've ever heard from the choir. It was their combined total enthusiasm.
City Choir Dunedin with its recent 150th anniversary events and Southern Sinfonia's trip to Japan has seen both these groups step up to impressive new levels in performance.
Musical Director David Burchell conducted an unabridged version from the harpsichord, and the standing ovation and long applause from a large audience confirm my sentiment.
Sinfonia's strings maintained a particularly united tone throughout - tight and free from "loose ends", and trumpet solos were excellent.
Clarity and pulse were seldom compromised and the orchestral "solo" Pastoral Symphony was a beautifully articulated cantabile highlight. Good dynamics and choral blend in Glory to God in the Highest and a brilliant delivery of And with His Stripes we are Healed were choral highlights.
Soloists on this occasion were Lois Johnston, whose pure-toned quality soprano range excelled throughout, with artistic florid embellishment and melismatic passages, several at virtuosic tempi.
Alto Amanda Cole has fine tone and projection in the upper register, which added lustre to decorated cadence points, but there was a lack of strength in the lower voice where many of the solo lines sat, and despite her passion and sincerity the sound failed to dominate, becoming lost in the string blend.
Tenor David Hamilton delivered his text with rapport and strength - such a convincing soloist with mellifluous tone. His commanding narrative in Comfort Ye set a standard for all that followed.
The bass soloist was Jonathan Lemalu, whose voice I find is changing from the youthful clear-toned bass which many locals watched develop. The unique wonderful richness in the timbre remains as does his professional delivery and countenance, but at times heavy vibrato muddies intonation definition in the lower scalic passages.
A triumphant performance overall to herald the festive season.
Review by Elizabeth Bouman for the Otago Daily Times, 12 December 2013.
Feedback received from the audience
From Melissa:
Was so Absolutely Fantastic!! Loved the Choir and the Musicians were Brilliant. Wonderful production.
From Catherine:
I think this was the best performance you've done - congratulations to everyone involved!
From Rosalind:
A sparkling performance from start to finish! The tone clear and bright throughout, beautifully light and dancing in the fast numbers (All We Like Sheep, His Yoke is Easy, He Shall Purify etc) a full-bodied and thrilling sound in the big choruses but never ponderous or heavy. My niece who had just arrived from UK where she has heard many Messiah performances pronounced it "Storming!"
From Jane:
As you may know, I was ushering last night, not singing. I thought I would pass on to you a comment I overheard as patrons were leaving. One old gentleman (probably around 80) said: "It's the best Messiah I've heard for years!" Judging by his age and the fact that I've seen him at many many classical music concerts over the years, I believe it to have been a heartfelt comment.
From Anne:
Friends thought it was the best performance they had heard. And I really liked this from another friend of mine: “One of the best parts of that Messiah last night was the altos! You all were so smooth and strong.”
From Marguerite:
I was walking down Moray Place after the concert and I met two women whom I didn't know from Adam who said, "What a wonderful performance, it was great"!
From Judy:
The Messiah was the best performance I've ever heard from the choir. It was their combined total enthusiasm.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Choral singing endures as enjoyable tradition
 |
| Choral Masterpieces. Photo credit: Pieter du Plessis |
Sunday 27 October 2013
Dunedin Town Hall
Choirs and choral singing are indeed, as the excellent programme notes inform us, a proud part of colonial history perpetuated with huge dedication by such directors as David Burchell.
Within some thirty years of works such as Mendelssohn's Elijah composition (1846) scores had been imported to be performed on stages from Invercargill to Whangarei. The tradition which endures is of predominantly 19th-century and earlier works despite the large number of 20th-century works written for mass choirs. Although the house was by no means full, this by-and-large Germanic music celebrating New Zealand's altered identity as a British colony continues to be enjoyable.
Fittingly, most of the excerpts from large works in this celebratory concert are ones which continue to appear at regular intervals, interspersed with older and newer works which have come to lay claim to extending that tradition. Sadly, the malfunctioning Norma the Organ, played by Simon Mace, deadened the choir's impact in its opening work, Bach's "Jauchzet, Frohlocket" from the Christmas Oratorio (1734).
Similarly, excerpts from Haydn's The Creation (1798) were underwhelming while tenor Peter Wigglesworth and bass Martin Snell carried the work. Pieces from Mozart's Requiem Mass (1791) offered the Choir an opportunity to show its strength in melodic interpretation. Faure's "Libera me" from his Requiem Mass (1893) and two excerpts from Elgar's The Dream of Gerontius (1900) with Snell and mezzo-soprano Helen Medlyn, respectively, were highly enjoyable. Medlyn showed her greater strengths in Bizet's Carmen (1875). Snell's rendition of excerpts from Wagner's Tannhauser was also very pleasing.
Two works made a timid representation of the 20th-century choral tradition. Anthony Ritchie's Southern Marches has deservedly a regular feature of the choir's repertoire. Christopher Marshall's For What Can Be More Beautiful? commissioned by the choir shows that local orchestral music-making might nurture new support.
Everyone involved in this wonderful celebration and huge undertaking are highly commended.
Review by Marian Poole, ODT Tuesday 29 October 2013
Comments from members of the audience:
"What a wonderful weekend we had! The reception and dinner were lovely, and the Choral Masterpieces concert was absolutely fantastic! Everyone did a brilliant job all round - well done :)""What a SUPERB concert on Sunday!
I so often wish that it was acceptable for audience members to holler and whoop during a classical music performance as one can at a rock concert….had this been allowed I'd have made a lot of noise on Sunday, especially during the Tannhauser excerpt!
Awesome 3 hours!"
"On behalf of the New Zealand Choral Federation, please accept my warmest congratulations on the choir’s 150th anniversary. City Choir Dunedin has been at the heart of musical life in the city since the early days of settlement and is a significant part of our country’s cultural heritage. The Governance Board of NZCF was very pleased to hear of your highly successful celebratory concert last weekend and wishes you all the best for the remainder of this anniversary year."
- Christine Argyle, Chair, New Zealand Choral Federation
"Three hours of gorgeous music and I don't know how you all did it."
"It must have been extremely difficult to move between so many different genres, languages, time periods, etc., but the musicians and conductor did this incredibly well. The audience was completely engaged from start to finish. Particularly enjoyed the Anthony Ritchie but loved it all."
Friday, July 5, 2013
Performance a triumph
Dunedin
"The soft opening passages of choral texture with orchestra melded as one, with long sustained release of "m's" ending the word "Requiem" exquisitely effective." ..."Spine-tingling choral highlights were numerous, and the recurring crescendo descending scale passages in the Dies irae saw Direcotr David Burchell's vision for the choir realise fulfilment on this occasion."
Review by Elizabeth Bouman, The Star, 4 July 2013.
Verdi Requiem, 27 June 2013, Town Hall at the Dunedin Centre.
NZSO with City Choir Dunedin, conducted by Pietari Inkinen
 |
| (Click image to enlarge) |
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Requiem still thrills for Verdi's 200th birthday
Wellington
Verdi's Messa da Requiem, Lisa Harper-Brown, Margaret Medlyn, Rosario La Spina, Judd Arthur, Orpheus Choir, Members of City Choir Dunedin, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra conducted by Pietari Inkenen, Michael Fowler Centre, Saturday 29 June 2013.Reviewed for the Dominion Post by John Button.
"The Verdi Requiem is an immensely popular work and the Fowler Centre was predictably very full for this tingling performance."
Correction: City Choir Dunedin sent 60 singers to the performances in Auckland and Wellington, and 80 singers to Christchurch. City Choir had 140+ singers in Dunedin.
Other reviews of the Wellington performance:
Rachel Hyde on Radio NZ Concert Upbeat, 1 July 2013
Tremendous panache from performers in Verdi’s epic Requiem by Frances Robinson for Middle C
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Cruelty of mortality thrillingly expressed
Dunedin
One hundred and fifty years and many reincarnations later, the City Choir Dunedin might deserve a less backhanded tribute from the Dunedin City Council but, as one reflection of the city, endures as a powerful statement of European culture in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Their
celebration
of
this
feat
was
greatly
enhanced
by
joining
forces
with
the NZSO
under
the
direction
of
Pietari
Inkinen.
The
excellence
of
the
performance
was
not
lost
on
the
crowded
house, which
gave
thunderous
prolonged
applause
with
shouts
and
stamping
feet
as
if
to
crack
the Dunedin Town
Hall’s
floorboards.
Verdi’s
Requiem
is
an
astonishingly
unnerving
work, replete
with
the
mystery
and
Christian
fear
of
death.
Rising
from
the
murky
quiet
of
“Kyrie”,
“Dies Irae”
[The
Wrath
of
God]
unleashes
a
doomsday
thunder.
Siren
screams
and
the
tight
trills
of
Satan’s
seduction
illustrate
what
awaits
the
dying. Although
there
are
occasional
lighter
moments
in
“Sanctus”, a
statement
of
piety,
“Agnus
Dei”
[Lamb
of
God]
and
“Lux
Eterna”
[Eternal Light],
this
is
a
grim
work
of
highly
gothic
Romanticism.
It
revels
in
beautiful
terror
and
has
intensely
chilling
power.
Put
briefly,
it
is
a
highly
successful
expression
of
the
cruelty
of
human
mortality.
All
sections
of
Orchestra
and
Choir
were
notable
for
the
supreme
dedication
to
creating
an
excellent
performance, although
some
the
Choir’s
fugal
passages
would
have
gained
more
moment
through
a
greater
show
of
confidence.
The soloists,
soprano
Lisa
Harper-Brown,
mezzo-soprano
Margaret
Medlyn,
tenor
Rosario
La
Spina
and
bass
Judd
Arthur
produced
some
spell-binding,
delicate
and
blockbuster
moments.
Special
mention
has
to
go
to
the
impeccably
beautiful
ensemble
work
in
“Lacrimosa”
[Weeping], Harper-Brown
and
Medlyn’s
truly
glorious
duet
“Recordare”
[Remember]
and
to
Harper-Brown’s
dramatically
compelling
“Libera
Me”
[Deliver Me].
One
wonders
what
else
we
can
expect
from
future
collaborations
between
the
imperial
forces
of
the
NZSO
and
City
Choir
Dunedin.
Review by Marian Poole, Otago Daily Times, 28 June 2013.
Verdi Requiem, 27 June 2013, Dunedin Town Hall.
NZSO with City Choir Dunedin, conducted by Pietari Inkinen
Audience comments:
'Absolutely spine-tingling'
'I've never sat so still for so long, it was riveting'
'Brilliant and amazing!'
'Thank you that was fantastic. You are lucky being able to do it all again.'
'Watched everything closely, you guys never missed a step.'
'Electrifying concert last night in Dunedin everyone!! Well done!!'
'Thoroughly wonderful evening. Kind regards and my commendations to all in your "Big Sing" hearts and minds in harmony...'
"'Requiem' by NZSO, city choir wonderful" - reads the headline of the Civis column in the ODT on Saturday 6 July. "Last week's performance of Verdi's 'Requiem' by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and City Choir Dunedin was outstanding: dramatic and exciting for a large audience... And there was an eerie sensation when trumpets sounded from the door just behind us, answering those in the opposite circle doorway, and in the orchestra. The performance was deeply moving, and a magnificent way to celebrate the choir's sesquicentennial. Congratulations to the choir, and to David Burchell, its Director."
And here's another report, this time by Mike Crowl, who also enjoyed the Dunedin performance.
Were you there? What did you think of the performance? Leave a comment here or send us an email to info@citychoirdunedin.org.nz - we'd love to hear from you!
Verdi Requiem, 27 June 2013, Dunedin Town Hall.
NZSO with City Choir Dunedin, conducted by Pietari Inkinen
Audience comments:
'Absolutely spine-tingling'
'I've never sat so still for so long, it was riveting'
'Brilliant and amazing!'
'Thank you that was fantastic. You are lucky being able to do it all again.'
'Watched everything closely, you guys never missed a step.'
'Electrifying concert last night in Dunedin everyone!! Well done!!'
'Thoroughly wonderful evening. Kind regards and my commendations to all in your "Big Sing" hearts and minds in harmony...'
"'Requiem' by NZSO, city choir wonderful" - reads the headline of the Civis column in the ODT on Saturday 6 July. "Last week's performance of Verdi's 'Requiem' by the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and City Choir Dunedin was outstanding: dramatic and exciting for a large audience... And there was an eerie sensation when trumpets sounded from the door just behind us, answering those in the opposite circle doorway, and in the orchestra. The performance was deeply moving, and a magnificent way to celebrate the choir's sesquicentennial. Congratulations to the choir, and to David Burchell, its Director."
And here's another report, this time by Mike Crowl, who also enjoyed the Dunedin performance.
Were you there? What did you think of the performance? Leave a comment here or send us an email to info@citychoirdunedin.org.nz - we'd love to hear from you!
Wednesday, June 26, 2013
Ethereal magic in sacred work
Christchurch
"The opening, fragile and barely audible, was magical, setting the scene for the whole performance, secure and sensively shaped by Pietari Inkenen" says David Sell in The Press.Verdi Requiem, 26 June 2013, Canterbury CBS Areana, Christchurch. NZSO with Christchurch City Choir and members of City Choir Dunedin, conducted by Pietari Inkinen
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Verdi concert welcome ray of sunshine
Auckland
"Pietari Inkenen created a mood of appropriate serenity while the combined voices of Auckland Choral and Dunedin's City Choir moved smoothly, within seconds, from whispered testaments of faith to rousing a capella.
The great hurled cries of the Dies Irae were spectacular, against the orchestra's sonic fire and brimstone."
Reviewed by William Dart for the NZ Herald.
Reviewed by William Dart for the NZ Herald.
Other reviews of the Auckland performance:
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and a star tenor shine in Verdi's Requiem in Auckland by Simon Holden
The day of judgment by Rod Bliss in The Listener of 6-12 July 2013 (click to view larger size):
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Verdi Requiem in May 2000
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Performance enthrals audience
The City of Dunedin Choir shared top billing with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra in the Town Hall on Saturday evening [27 May 2000] in a magnificent performance of Verdi's Requiem.
Musical director David Burchell has certainly brought out the best in this 150-member choir. Intensive preparation and disciplined rehearsals have lifted them to the heights required for performance with a professional orchestra of international standing and international soloists.
Confident and forthright singing came from all sections of the choir throughout.
Verdi's Requiem covers the full range of choral and orchestral nuance and conductor James Judd delivered a highly dramatic and impassioned Requiem, in strong Verdian style.
Even familiarity with requiem components and the non-secular text failed to keep heavy operatic overtones at bay and the large audience was presented with a musical fresco of emotional extremes.
Full-bodies tumultous assaults marked the opening of each "Dies Irae" chorus with thrilling effect and little use was made of accepted rubato practice to allow the more subdued passages of rich harmonic testures to linger.
The soloists generally followed strong forthright deliveries in keeping with the entire mood, but with occasional lapses in projection of emotional commitment to the text.
The solemn beauty and soaring strength of the final Soprano aria Lord, deliver me out of everlasting death rang out before the subdued final phrases "Save me, Oh Lord", then a moment of absolute silence cued tumultuous applause from an enthralled audience.
Soloists were soprano Lisa Gasteen, mezzo-soprano Elizabeth Campbell (both from Australia), tenor Anson Austin and bass Rodney McCann (both New Zealand born).
Review by Elizabeth Bouman in the ODT, Monday 29 May 2000.
What a wonderful performance that was!
Come hear City Choir Dunedin and the NZSO do it again:
Thursday 27 June, 6:30 pm, Dunedin Town Hall Tickets are now on sale!
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Anthony Ritchie reviews Nature's Bounty
Review of City Choir Dunedin’s concert ‘Nature’s Bounty’, Sunday March 23, 2013.
‘Nature’s Bounty’ was an excellent way to open celebrations for the City Choir Dunedin’s 150th anniversary, this year. It successfully presented a mixture of the contemporary with the Victorian: a new work by New Zealand composer Christopher Marshall, a recent work by renowned Dunedin composer Jack Speirs, and a late 19th century work by Coleridge-Taylor. It was an ambitious programme, with plenty of taxing music for the choir, which they tackled very well.
The choir has good numbers at present, but suffer from a lack of tenors, a perennial problem for choirs. Their sound projected well in Knox Church, against lively orchestral accompaniments in the Marshall and Coleridge-Taylor works, and diction was generally strong.
The focal point of the evening was the specially commissioned work ‘For What Can Be More Beautiful?’ by Christopher Marshall, funded by Creative NZ. Marshall’s work is unashameably polystylistic, shifting from romantic sounds at the start to more exotic, almost Latin sounds in the second movement, with harmonic twists that belong to a more contemporary style. In this respect he is unusual in the NZ compositional scene. As he himself said, the music borders on cliché on occasions but has a fresh ‘take’ on ideas from the past. The romantic style of the opening seemed a suitable way to celebrate a choir who originated in the 19th century. The choir relished these early passages, with full lyrical tone that floated above the lush orchestration. Contrapuntal passages were simply scored and effective, and there was some nice word painting. The climax of this long first movement was striking, and strongly executed by the choir.
I personally found some of the scoring too busy for my liking, as it infringed on the choral sound rather than enhancing it. This was especially so in the second movement where the tricky rhythms undermined the choral tone – the members were concentrating so hard on staying in the right place that the sound weakened a little. Despite this, the general mood and pace of this movement was upbeat and lively, thanks in no small part to the conductor David Burchell, who kept the forces together very well.
The new work was well received by the audience, and those I talked to were enthusiastic about it. It presented challenges but the hard work put in seemed to bring rewards to both performers and audience.
The new work sparkled with many orchestral colours and lush choral scoring; by contrast, Jack Speirs ‘Cantico del Sole’ seems austere and economical. For me this was the highlight of the evening, in that the work is perfectly scored for choir and has some lovely orchestration, coupled with a stunning soprano line, sung beautifully by rising star, Grace Park. The men in the choir were secure on their chant-like lines, and modal passages were very nicely in tune. On the whole, the choir’s intonation was excellent in this concert. ‘Cantico del Sole’ shows the influence of Arvo Pärt, is strong in character, and is arresting for the audience. It is a work that deserves more performances.
Rounding the evening was Coleridge-Taylor’s ‘Hiawatha’s Wedding Feast’, a piece of entertaining and exotic Victoriana. The challenge of this work is the text: the huge number of words meant that diction is crucial, and by and large the choir managed well. In some places the orchestra were rather too exuberant for both choir and soloist, Matthew Wilson, and they were rather drowned out. Otherwise, this was a solid performance, and a pleasant way to conclude the concert.
In conclusion, I would say the risk of putting on this programme of new and old worked well, and the audience went away satisfied. The choir has started its anniversary year in good form, having been expertly directed by David Burchell.
By Anthony Ritchie
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Choir rises to a great challenge
ODT reviewer of the Nature's Bounty concert, Elizabeth Bouman, says: "Choir rises to a great challenge" and "...compliments to all
musicians and singers called upon to negotiate the endless rhythmic
intricacies, and such fast-paced verbosity on growing all manner of
fruit...".
Yes, Verdi's Requiem will definitely be a piece of cake after this! The singers and musicians enjoyed performing all the music in the concert to a very appreciative audience. It was quite a thrill seeing all the smiling faces and hearing the thundering applause! Hats off and many thanks to Christopher Marshall for a beautiful composition: For What Can Be More Beautiful?.
What the audience said:
"I very much enjoyed the concert, especially the Marshall work -- a very exciting piece; the composer made deft use of his resources."
"The Southern Sinfonia did a marvellous job with the music and the choir's singing was a pleasure to listen to."
"Why did you put a seed catalogue to music?"
"Your words were very clear - often I didn't need to read the programme to know what you were singing about."
"Loved the Hiawatha - wanted to get up and dance around with a tomahawk in my hand"
“I found Saturday night's performance by Dunedin's choir, especially the pieces before and after the interval (Marshalls and Hiawatha) were my favourites:^) Just lovely:^ Transformative! I did not want the music to end.”
"I thought the concert at Knox was splendid - it came across very well indeed, full of energy and vitality."
Do you have any audience quotes to share? Please leave a comment here, or email us to info@citychoirdunedin.org.nz
Thank you!
Yes, Verdi's Requiem will definitely be a piece of cake after this! The singers and musicians enjoyed performing all the music in the concert to a very appreciative audience. It was quite a thrill seeing all the smiling faces and hearing the thundering applause! Hats off and many thanks to Christopher Marshall for a beautiful composition: For What Can Be More Beautiful?.
What the audience said:
"I very much enjoyed the concert, especially the Marshall work -- a very exciting piece; the composer made deft use of his resources."
"The Southern Sinfonia did a marvellous job with the music and the choir's singing was a pleasure to listen to."
"Why did you put a seed catalogue to music?"
"Your words were very clear - often I didn't need to read the programme to know what you were singing about."
"Loved the Hiawatha - wanted to get up and dance around with a tomahawk in my hand"
“I found Saturday night's performance by Dunedin's choir, especially the pieces before and after the interval (Marshalls and Hiawatha) were my favourites:^) Just lovely:^ Transformative! I did not want the music to end.”
"I thought the concert at Knox was splendid - it came across very well indeed, full of energy and vitality."
Do you have any audience quotes to share? Please leave a comment here, or email us to info@citychoirdunedin.org.nz
Thank you!
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Wonderful evening of singing at Knox
"Wonderful evening of singing at Knox... splendid choral delivery... unrestrained top Gs soared with exhilirating supremacy..." and the Hallelujah chorus was the highlight of the evening, with the entire audience standing and joining their voices to those of the choir and 60 guest singers. These guest singers also joined City Choir Dunedin in the rehearsals leading up to the concert. What a wonderful experience for singers and audience alike!
Messiah Sing-along, Knox Church, Tuesday 11 December 2012
Follow this link to an album of beautiful pictures of the Messiah Sing-along concert, taken by Ian Thomson.
Were you there? Let us know what you thought of the "sing-along"!
Messiah Sing-along, Knox Church, Tuesday 11 December 2012
Follow this link to an album of beautiful pictures of the Messiah Sing-along concert, taken by Ian Thomson.
Were you there? Let us know what you thought of the "sing-along"!
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Bravissimo!
It’s over 40 years since I sang the “little solemn mass” and this evening I (silently) sang along with you.
The choir positively danced the fugue – what a delight to see and hear. Many thanks for a memorable performance."
Russell (a friend of Lynn Dowsett, soprano)
And via text message from a keen supporter and friend, to Deborah: “Great performance, thank you so much!”.
Wow!!! That sounded good from where we stood. And the audience applauded with enthusiasm. If you were there, what did you think of the Petite Messe Solennelle performance?
And here is Marian's review for the ODT, published on Monday 1 October:
Congratulations and thank you to our brilliant soloists, accompanist and conductor!
Saturday, September 8, 2012
Chilling story brilliantly told
A good sized audience gave a prolonged and profound applause for the world première of John Drummond's The Journey Home directed by Simon Over with guests - soprano Jenny Wollerman, tenor James Rodgers, baritone Robert Tucker (Scott) and the City of Dunedin Choir.
Drummond's oratorio is an extremely effective tale of Scott's ill-fated voyage home which starts with Scott's utter despair at finding Amundsen had beaten him to the Pole. The opening bars clearly define the dreadful chill of the Antarctic and the trudging trek homewards of the defeated explorers.
Overall the work is brilliant - encouraging great performances from all. Jeremy Commons' libretto uses Scott's own diary, poems by Claire Beynon, Bill Manhire and Chris Orsman and excerpts from the Common Book of Prayer.
Drummond's alternation of full orchestra, solo instruments and unaccompanied singing dramatize the story beautifully. Though there were some weaknesses, they are far outweighed by the work's strengths. Special mention goes to Rodgers and Wollerman's "As If", the staggered lines of choir and Turner in "There is Always a Blizzard", the icy strings counterbalancing Scott's acceptance of ultimate defeat in "The Ice is Cruel" and Wollerman and Choir in "In this Place" where the muttering of the Lord's Prayer in Latin provided an excellent voice to the encroaching fates.
The Journey Home is a seriously excellent work and a powerful piece of drama which the nation can be proud of.
Tchaikovsky's "Capriccio Italien" was suitably exuberant and excellently performed by the Southern Sinfonia. It served to diffuse the doom contained in The Journey Home.
Stravinsky's "Firebird" is also a strongly evocative work excellently performed and directed with precision and inspiration to the clear enjoyment of all.
The evening highlighted all aspects of the art involved with orchestral works and their performance and marks a significant achievement. Bravo to one and all.
Reviewed by Marian Poole for the Otago Daily Times, Monday, 10 September 2012.
Monday, May 28, 2012
Accomplished performance by orchestra, choir
The Dunedin Youth Orchestra and City of Dunedin Choir with
conductor David Burchell gave a concert on Saturday evening,
in a very well-filled Knox Church.
Dunedin Youth Orchestra and City of Dunedin Choir
Knox Church
Saturday, May 26
A youth orchestra it may be, with the youngest member still a 12-year-old, but Burchell drew the best from these musicians (apart from a few bars of wayward brass) and there was certainly nothing timid about their rousing overture, Rossini's The Thieving Magpie.
Melodic prominence of the well-known themes taken at a cracking pace, compelled the listener to sing along in their musical conscience throughout.
The orchestra's principal clarinet, Nicole Batchelar, soloed for two movements of Mozart's Concerto for Clarinet K622 with fluency, generally good resonance and impressive full-toned ornamentation.The more lyrical Adagio was well interpreted.
Karelia Suite (Sibelius) opened with a rather ponderous Intermezzo but the Ballade captured the beauty of melody with suitable passion and nuance, and the final Alla Marcia produced plenty of contrasts and attitude.
The 80-voice choir joined the orchestra after the interval. Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) by Brahms opens in sombre mood, traversing beautiful passages of harmony and meaningful text, culminating in a final stanza of life and vibrancy.
An accomplished performance came from all, but Germanic diction was appalling resulting in a very beautiful harmonic sound-scape. (I'm sorry, but where were all the consonants?)
The final Polovetsian Dances (Borodin) was bright, forward moving and most enjoyable. Special mention must go to excellent woodwind passages, strong dynamics and good choral intonation, but again it took some time to discern the origin of the language being sung.
During the evening Alex Campbell-Hunt was awarded the Audrey Reid Composition Prize for 2012.
(Review by Elizabeth Bouman, Otago Daily Times, Monday 28 May 2012.)
Dunedin Youth Orchestra and City of Dunedin Choir
Knox Church
Saturday, May 26
A youth orchestra it may be, with the youngest member still a 12-year-old, but Burchell drew the best from these musicians (apart from a few bars of wayward brass) and there was certainly nothing timid about their rousing overture, Rossini's The Thieving Magpie.
Melodic prominence of the well-known themes taken at a cracking pace, compelled the listener to sing along in their musical conscience throughout.
The orchestra's principal clarinet, Nicole Batchelar, soloed for two movements of Mozart's Concerto for Clarinet K622 with fluency, generally good resonance and impressive full-toned ornamentation.The more lyrical Adagio was well interpreted.
Karelia Suite (Sibelius) opened with a rather ponderous Intermezzo but the Ballade captured the beauty of melody with suitable passion and nuance, and the final Alla Marcia produced plenty of contrasts and attitude.
The 80-voice choir joined the orchestra after the interval. Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) by Brahms opens in sombre mood, traversing beautiful passages of harmony and meaningful text, culminating in a final stanza of life and vibrancy.
An accomplished performance came from all, but Germanic diction was appalling resulting in a very beautiful harmonic sound-scape. (I'm sorry, but where were all the consonants?)
The final Polovetsian Dances (Borodin) was bright, forward moving and most enjoyable. Special mention must go to excellent woodwind passages, strong dynamics and good choral intonation, but again it took some time to discern the origin of the language being sung.
During the evening Alex Campbell-Hunt was awarded the Audrey Reid Composition Prize for 2012.
(Review by Elizabeth Bouman, Otago Daily Times, Monday 28 May 2012.)
Monday, April 2, 2012
Baroque celebration enjoyable
Beauty of Baroque, Knox Church, Friday, March 30
Knox Church in Dunedin was packed on Friday evening for "Beauty of Baroque", presented by City of Dunedin Choir, Southern Sinfonia, David Burchell, guest organist Simon Mace and six soloists - sopranos Pepe Becker and Grace Park, mezzo-soprano Amanda Cole, counter-tenor Christopher John Clifford, tenor Stephen Chambers and bass Julien van Mellaerts.
Handel filled the first half of the programme, beginning with Utrecht Te Deum (1713), a grand work with sacred text for choir, soloists and baroque orchestra. From the very intro of this work, I felt the orchestra set a good performing standard for the entire evening, bright toned with well-judged subtle trumpet gilding.
The choir too, was in excellent form, generally well-balanced, despite the 23 to 7 ratio of basses to tenors, but I had mixed feelings about some of the solo work.
Soprano duet To Thee Cherubin and Seraphin, achieved a fine blend, but some of Becker's later work, although well-intoned, showed disappointing technical support at climactic exposures. Cole's lower register lacked fullness of tone, with lower melodic phrases regularly falling short in projection. Her When thou tookest upon thee ... was totally overshadowed by glorious woodwind counter melodies.
Commendable counter-tenor tone quality was regularly lost through "head in the book" syndrome, consequently undermining vocal ensemble balance.
Tenor and bass delivered with beautiful tone, intelligent phrasing, and prudent strength. Laetatus Sum (Charpentier) and J S Bach's Magnificat showed similar vein, though a highlight was a tenor solo sung by Chambers with realistic fortitude and conviction.
A brilliant performance of Concerto in B Flat for Organ Op 4 no.2 by Handel showed Burchell as master of the pipe organ. Supreme dexterity ensured clarity and unblemished co-ordination throughout four short movements of contrapuntal texture. Nicholas Cornish conducted the ensemble from his position at 1st oboe.
Review in the ODT, 2 April 2012, by Elizabeth Bouman
Were you there? What did you think of this performance? We welcome feedback from the audience!
Knox Church in Dunedin was packed on Friday evening for "Beauty of Baroque", presented by City of Dunedin Choir, Southern Sinfonia, David Burchell, guest organist Simon Mace and six soloists - sopranos Pepe Becker and Grace Park, mezzo-soprano Amanda Cole, counter-tenor Christopher John Clifford, tenor Stephen Chambers and bass Julien van Mellaerts.
Handel filled the first half of the programme, beginning with Utrecht Te Deum (1713), a grand work with sacred text for choir, soloists and baroque orchestra. From the very intro of this work, I felt the orchestra set a good performing standard for the entire evening, bright toned with well-judged subtle trumpet gilding.
The choir too, was in excellent form, generally well-balanced, despite the 23 to 7 ratio of basses to tenors, but I had mixed feelings about some of the solo work.
Soprano duet To Thee Cherubin and Seraphin, achieved a fine blend, but some of Becker's later work, although well-intoned, showed disappointing technical support at climactic exposures. Cole's lower register lacked fullness of tone, with lower melodic phrases regularly falling short in projection. Her When thou tookest upon thee ... was totally overshadowed by glorious woodwind counter melodies.
Commendable counter-tenor tone quality was regularly lost through "head in the book" syndrome, consequently undermining vocal ensemble balance.
Tenor and bass delivered with beautiful tone, intelligent phrasing, and prudent strength. Laetatus Sum (Charpentier) and J S Bach's Magnificat showed similar vein, though a highlight was a tenor solo sung by Chambers with realistic fortitude and conviction.
A brilliant performance of Concerto in B Flat for Organ Op 4 no.2 by Handel showed Burchell as master of the pipe organ. Supreme dexterity ensured clarity and unblemished co-ordination throughout four short movements of contrapuntal texture. Nicholas Cornish conducted the ensemble from his position at 1st oboe.
Review in the ODT, 2 April 2012, by Elizabeth Bouman
Were you there? What did you think of this performance? We welcome feedback from the audience!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Standing ovation for 'Messiah'
What is it I wonder, that makes people sit for two and a-half
hours, listening so intently to Handel's most famous oratorio
Messiah, written in just three weeks in 1741.
"Christmas just wouldn't be the same without attending a performance of Messiah," one patron told me.
City of Dunedin Choir and Southern Sinfonia shifted their two-yearly performance of Messiah to the Regent Theatre this year, and the very well-filled venue created a different view and atmosphere, but the familiar choruses and arias certainly rang out loud and true last evening, as Christ's life on earth was outlined in music, and the final Amens were followed by tumultuous applause and standing ovation.
David Burchell conducted magnificently from the harpsichord, with a wise choice of tempi. The 29-member baroque orchestra excelled in their response. The choir's performance, with several choruses from memory, was very impressive and disciplined, despite a little under-weight in the tenor section.
Strong soprano tone reached their pinnacle in the Hallelujah Chorus, and exciting strength and verve from all sections was accorded the big choruses such as Lift Up Your Head.
The three choruses in the "Agony of the Cross" section were delivered with clarity and particularly fine nuance.
Soprano Anna Leese, now well entrenched in a successful international career, was home to perform. The voice is noticeably maturing and rich and all her arias were exquisite with the finest legato tone. Come Unto Him was stunningly performed - so liquid and pure through subtly embellished phrases.
Mezzo Wendy Doyle (Wellington) was successful in a convincing delivery from a particularly low timbre register, and young tenor Cameron Barclay (Auckland) brought clear diction and sincerity to his solos.
Bass Chalium Poppy (Tauranga) performed with confidence and strength although was not always technically secure.
- By Elizabeth Bouman, Otago Daily Times 14 December 2011
"Christmas just wouldn't be the same without attending a performance of Messiah," one patron told me.
City of Dunedin Choir and Southern Sinfonia shifted their two-yearly performance of Messiah to the Regent Theatre this year, and the very well-filled venue created a different view and atmosphere, but the familiar choruses and arias certainly rang out loud and true last evening, as Christ's life on earth was outlined in music, and the final Amens were followed by tumultuous applause and standing ovation.
David Burchell conducted magnificently from the harpsichord, with a wise choice of tempi. The 29-member baroque orchestra excelled in their response. The choir's performance, with several choruses from memory, was very impressive and disciplined, despite a little under-weight in the tenor section.
Strong soprano tone reached their pinnacle in the Hallelujah Chorus, and exciting strength and verve from all sections was accorded the big choruses such as Lift Up Your Head.
The three choruses in the "Agony of the Cross" section were delivered with clarity and particularly fine nuance.
Soprano Anna Leese, now well entrenched in a successful international career, was home to perform. The voice is noticeably maturing and rich and all her arias were exquisite with the finest legato tone. Come Unto Him was stunningly performed - so liquid and pure through subtly embellished phrases.
Mezzo Wendy Doyle (Wellington) was successful in a convincing delivery from a particularly low timbre register, and young tenor Cameron Barclay (Auckland) brought clear diction and sincerity to his solos.
Bass Chalium Poppy (Tauranga) performed with confidence and strength although was not always technically secure.
- By Elizabeth Bouman, Otago Daily Times 14 December 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Stunning performance of Odes to Joy
The soloists were:
Madeleine Pierard soprano
Sarah Castle mezzo-soprano
Simon O’Neill tenor
Jonathan Lemalu bass-baritone
During the pre-concert talk Gareth Farr said that the afternoon rehearsal he attended had been the best performance of Kaitiaki so far, but you can bet we gave much more during the evening performance.
Here are some comments from the audience:
"Stunning!"
"You guys were just great" - from members of the NZSO to a City of Dunedin Choir member on the aeroplane flying back to Wellington
"Goosebumpy"
"The best Beethoven's 9th I've heard..."
"What a great concert!"
"Congratulations! What a spine tingling night from start to finish. I thought the Kaitiaki was fantastic and could have listened to it over again."
"The choir in both works was stupendous."
"Congratulations to the City of Dunedin Choir on a job well done! That was great...we've enjoyed every moment of the Odes to Joy!" - from Southern Sinfonia
"Wonderful concert, the boys all loved it. Farr marvelous!" - from Waitaki Boys High
"I really enjoyed the Odes to Joy concert....especially the Gareth Farr.........what a wonderul work."
Where you there? What did you think of this performance?
Thank you to New Zealand Symphony Orchestra for bringing this opportunity to Dunedin - wow! what an experience!
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