MIXED
DOUBLES
Writtle
Singers in the Parish Church
16.07.11
Sunshine
and showers, the smell of strawberries … but this is not Wimbledon
but Writtle, and these Mixed Doubles are works for divided choir and
piano duet.
The
main work was Frank Martin's Mass for Double Choir. A stretch, even
for the augmented Singers, so there was sometimes more grain than
sheen to the sound, but nonetheless a fine interpretation of this
intensely personal work, sympathetically encouraged and firmly guided
by Christine Gwynn. The Gloria, with its quiet, lambent opening, the
dancing resurrection of the Credo, the shifting sands of the Sanctus,
all drew us in to Martin's spiritual universe; the Agnus Dei made
very effective use of the double choir, with an underlying chant and
a more colourful overlay blending beautifully for the closing
“pacem”.
The
first part of the evening was a typically thoughtful sequence of
choral music, beginning with an Ascension hymn by Stanford – the
choirs separated by the length of the nave – and including Naylor
and Harris [with impressive solos in the closing pastoral moments],
as well as an eloquent juxtaposition of Purcell's Hear My Prayer with
Chilcott's modern meditation on it, the “My Prayer” mantra
repeated hypnotically. Plus enjoyable piano four-hands favourites:
Warlock's Capriol, and Ravel's Mother Goose,
enlivened by snatches from the fairy tales.
enlivened by snatches from the fairy tales.
photograph of All Saints, Writtle
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