Eye Bach Choir May 2008 Concert
On Saturday, 17 May Eye Bach Choir will present their last concert of the 2007/8 season in Eye Parish Church. The two chosen works, Haydn's Harmoniemesse and Beethoven's Mass in C have similar origins in that they were both composed for the Esterhaza Court to honour the name day of Princess Esterhazy.
Haydn had, for some years, composed such a Mass but, with advancing age, this was to be his last for the occasion. It dates from 1802 and, though the name may suggest it, has nothing to do with our English understanding of 'harmony'. Harmonie is the German word for music written for wind instruments, so the title might be translated as 'Wind-band Mass' and does, indeed, refer to the prominence of wind instruments in the composition.
Haydn wrote to Prince Esterhazy that he was labouring wearily with the writing of it. However, contrasts of serene contemplation and moments of jaw-dropping splendour as the full complement of wind and brass are brought to bear give the lie to it. It is one of the glorious six Masses which Haydn produced in later life.
In 1807 Beethoven, too, wrote his Mass in C to a commission by Prince Nikolaus for the same occasion. Unfortunately the Prince did not appreciate it, reportedly saying condescendingly "My dear Beethoven, what have you written there!" Whereupon the composer left the Court on the same day and dedicated the score to Prince Ferdinand Kinsky instead!
Perhaps inevitably, the Mass in C has been compared rather unfavourably with the great Missa Solemnis, and commentators have remarked that some melodies are more suggestive of Mozart or Gluck. Elsewhere though, it has been hailed as a 'long underrated masterpiece' with a directness and emotional content lacking in the Missa Solemnis. Perhaps listeners should make up their own minds.
J.V.
Dvorák's "Stabat Mater" on 8th March 2008 in Eye Parish Church
This is Alf Hayward's report on our performance of "Stabat Mater" ...
Dvorák's "Stabat Mater" is a glorious work. Written in 1877 following the sad deaths of three of the composer's nine children, it is a moving meditation on the Virgin Mary's grief at the foot of the Cross, and the Eye Bach Choir under conductor Leslie Olive gave an emotional account in Eye's magnificent parish church.
It is not a perfect work - the solo "Inflammatus" is an awkward piece and probably not a cherished part of the contralto repertoire, while the contrapuntal "Amen" section in the last movement, however well sung, seemed incongruously cheerful. "Tui nati vulnerati" was also beautifully sung but has an oddly pastoral lilt for a movement about "punishment"!
It was a night of difficult openings. The first movement with its horns and strings in unison was hard to tune, but quickly settled, the first entry of the Choir's talented tenor section was very beautiful indeed, and "Fac ut ardeat" gave us singing of rare quality from the whole ensemble - not many amateur choirs can teach their orchestras a thing or two about intonation. "Tui nati vulnerati" was also sensitively phrased.
The Eye Bach Choir are undoubtedly impressive, with a well-rounded, homogenous sound. Balanced, precise and highly attentive, they sing with great restraint and make it all seem very easy. If one must criticise, the sopranos' exposed entries in "Virgo virginum" were not entirely convincing. Sometimes a choir needs to be given its head.
Leslie Olive's precise conducting led the orchestra calmly through complex modulations and subtle rhythms, though his unfussy style was not quite equal to the drama of "in planctu desidero". While the intonation in horns and strings was not always perfect, the orchestra gave a vivid account aided by David Morbey's restrained and well-judged timpani playing. With a full symphonic wind and brass section, only two cellos and one double-bass gave insufficient weight at the bottom of the harmony - but if you had more, in this fine parish church wherever would you put them?
The Choir were well served by their soloists, Jay Britton, Catherine Denley, Benjamin Segal and Stephen Varcoe whose ensemble was impeccable. Catherine Denley's rich alto vibrato obscured tonality a little, and she seemed uneasy with the tempo of "Inflammatus", but baritone Stephen Varcoe coped with the astonishingly wide range demanded by Dvorák and wrung every tear from "ut sibi complaceam". Benjamin Segal's clear tenor was outstanding.
This was a great and very moving performance by any standard. That a small country town like Eye should be home to music of this quality is unusual and surprising, and although their audiences are always large and appreciative, such is the ability of the Eye Bach Choir that one wonders how they might seek a wider exposure - they certainly deserve it.
A.E.Hayward
Handel's "Messiah" on 24th November 2007 in Eye Parish Church
... and this is Alf Hayward's report on our performance of "Messiah" ...
All great music needs an airing from time to time, and who better to do it than the resurgent Eye Bach Choir?
Playing to a full house, Leslie Olive directed from the harpsichord though ensemble improved when he stood to conduct the choir. The Overture was woolly, the following allegro crisper. Brisk tempi marked the whole performance as the orchestra gained confidence, though the lovely "Pastoral Symphony" was lacklustre.
Tenor soloist Tom Raskin was a real find with an easy, natural sound. "Thy rebuke" was a real tear-jerker! Mark Oldfield was a rather lightweight Word of God, but responsible for one of the evening's highlights partnered by the flawless trumpet playing of Ian Abbott in "The trumpet shall sound". Soprano Charlotte Newstead was strong and imposed her own variations of tempo in "Rejoice greatly", but she threw the orchestra into some disarray by not delivering the expected piu mosso in the middle of "I know that my redeemer". Contralto Carol Rowlands was clearly unhappy with some tempi, wanting more space to wring drama from each phrase and rendering "O thou that tellest" rather dismal until the choir entered, their dancing copies showing that 6/8 time can be jolly after all.
In works like this the limelight is often taken by the soloists, the choir a mere adjunct whose main function is to give the soloists a bit of a sit down. But this evening belonged to the Eye Bach Choir, whose light touch and fresh tone should be the envy of many younger choirs. Balance is excellent. Superb articulation, diction and accuracy are maintained even in the loudest sections. There were many moments of great beauty and choral virtuosity - the instant when the sweet, high trumpets joined in "Glory to God" was pure joy.
There is a ridiculous tradition that the audience should stand for the Hallelujah Chorus. Luckily the choir didn't know the other tradition - that this should be performed at the top of one's voice, with neither sense nor subtlety! Instead, they sung with delicate intelligence: hackneyed this old war-horse was definitely NOT.
In only a year or so the Eye Bach Choir have transformed themselves from a good amateur choral society into something much more special: a technically-accomplished choir, alert and highly committed, a delight to listen to.
They will be a pleasure to watch, too, when the gentlemen are persuaded to ditch the scruffy polo-necks!
A.E.Hayward
A personal view of Sunday 23rd September 2007 at Ely Cathedral
Sunday morning saw us bright and early on our coach from Eye, enjoying someone else doing the driving, exchanging news with folks who are too often fleeting friendships on Fridays. The journey was trouble-free and we arrived in good time with an air of expectation at the community centre where, like all good school outings, we immediately started tucking into kindly-provided sandwiches and fruit.
For those of us who had not visited the cathedral before, first impressions were pretty jaw-dropping. We were right to wonder whether our voices would carry in such an enormous space, and the rather quirky acoustic didn't do much to reassure us. The thought that John Rutter himself would be there to hear the first performance of his rather personal work "Look to the Day", galvanised us all to maximum effort.
Les coached us in the art of processing and singing simultaneously (no mean feat), and as the cathedral filled with people the tension grew.
Nearly 1,000 people had come to share this service of thanksgiving arranged by Cancer Research. As well as our hymns with new descants written for the occasion by Les, and our anthem "Look to the Day" with really telling words as well as music written by John Rutter, we enjoyed hearing addresses by Harpal S. Kumar, chief executive and Professor Bruce Ponder, director of the Cambridge Research Institute.
There was a perfectly heart-stopping performance of the Fauré "Pie Jesu" by Jay Britton. In all, a moving service - tears were shed, I am informed!
The Lady Chapel, where we had a cup of tea afterwards, was as breathtaking as the cathedral itself and seemed to have a more manageable acoustic. It transpired that Rutter does indeed use this beautiful space for making his recordings.
I for one enjoyed a great day of friendship, music and reflection, and all in the thoroughly beautiful setting of Ely Cathedral.
JB
Concert, 24th March 2007
This is the full text of the concert review by Alfred Hayward which appeared in the Eastern Daily Press and, in a butchered form, in the East Anglian Daily Times ...
On Saturday 24th March the Eye Bach Choir & Orchestra delighted a capacity audience in Eye Parish Church with the first concert under their new conductor Leslie Olive.
An entire concert of music by Mozart is an act of some bravery - Mozart may have been told by the Austrian Emperor that he wrote "too many notes", but he meant every one. Each is essential, and each must be perfect. Sadly in the opening serenade "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik", the strings found Leslie Olive's brisk tempi a stretch, and were happier with the robust rhythms of the Minuet.
For the second work, "Solemn Vespers", choir and orchestra were joined by four soloists, Lindsey Gowers, Muriel Kwint, Benjamin Segal and Christopher Wray. The Choir sang with careful phrasing and well-prepared dynamics. Their finest moment was in the difficult and cerebral counterpoint of "Laudate Pueri", while Lindsey Gowers' sweet, effortless "Laudate Dominum" was a delight.
There was plainer sailing in the more familiar waters of the great "Requiem Mass" which Mozart wrote for a supposed mystery patron and never finished. Here were moments of great beauty and high drama - in the "Confutatis" the ladies of the choir were wonderfully ethereal, "Rex Tremendae" was taut and exciting, the choir was comfortable and confident throughout, "Lacrimosa" was gorgeous and "Dies Irae" a triumph.
The four soloists must have been a conductor's dream, well-matched and fluent. True, there were moments of unlooked-for drama among the orchestra in "Lux Aeterna" and the beginning of "Recordare", but these were balanced by some fine woodwind playing particularly from Barry Carbon on bassoon.
The Eye Bach Choir is one of the region's most mature, serious and accomplished choral societies, and in the calm, unfussy but communicative Leslie Olive they have clearly found a conductor to match their talents.
Choral Workshop
On Sunday 25th February 2007 we welcomed a wide cross-section of singers from various parts of Suffolk to our choral workshop. How lovely to meet up with other kindred spirits and exchange notes!
The extremely well-equipped Hoxne Village Hall provided a comfortable setting for a day which offered a variety of challenges, drawn from The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins, Brahms' Requiem, Bach's Magnificat and John Rutter's transcription of Panis Angelicus by César-Franck.
Leslie Olive's expert rehearsal technique exacted enthusiasm and subtlety in equal measure from people who had never previously sung together, and allowed for every shade of levity along the way, not to mention the odd "collapse of stout party"!
Though we are known for our Eye Teas, the "Workshop Lunch" was a near rival - the spread offered and enjoyed by all the participants was delicious, full of variety and comfortably washed down with a glass of wine. Yes, singing on a full stomach did require even more skill and concentration in the afternoon!
The Eye Bach Choir Christmas Concert 2006
A full house at Eye Church heard an exciting seasonal concert from the Eye Bach Choir. As it said in the programme, the challenge for all choirs at this time of year is to perform works which on the one hand will please the audience, and on the other give the choir sufficient challenge and interest. In this concert both objectives were achieved.
The concert opened with Jauchzet, Frohlocket from J.S Bach's Christmas Oratorio. Conductor Adrian Knott set a brisk and joyous tempo with bold timpani and some particularly fine trumpet-playing being more than matched by a choir on top form. This was followed by Morten Lauridsen's setting of O Magnum Mysterium performed a capella to almost magical effect in the wonderful surroundings of a darkened church. This is a work in which dissonance and harmony are skilfully combined, and not resolved until the very last bar.
Perhaps the greatest challenge for the choir followed in Lobet den Herrn, Bach's great motet of praise. It was beautifully sung with careful dynamic shading and great attention to detail. The choir had obviously worked very hard at it.
The Corelli Christmas Concerto - an audience favourite if ever there was one - started with an impressively lively vivace, ending with the familiarly calm and re-assuring largo after some fine solo work from Geoff Barker (leader), Zbys Kaznowski (Violin) and Guy Johnson (Cello).
An engaging Father Christmas appeared (Barrie Golding) to sing a splendidly bucolic rendition of the fifteenth century carol Sir Christmas with the choir, who followed it with the modern setting of the same work by William Matthias. After the Coventry Carol, once again sung a capella and characterised by some exceptional piano singing, the first half came to an end with the audience being swept to its feet to sing a setting of In Dulci Jubilo arranged by Adrian Knott for choir, audience and orchestra - once again with trumpets to the fore.
Highlights of the second half of the concert were the David Willcocks arrangement of Ding Dong Merrily and John Rutter's Shepherd's Pipe Carol both performed with a full orchestral accompaniment, and the performance of the Vivaldi Gloria which closed the concert. The soloists were Catherine Carter (soprano), standing in for an indisposed Lindsay Gowers, and Marjorie Ouvry (Mezzo Soprano). The soprano aria Domine Deus and the mezzo aria Domine Deus, Agnus Dei were enhanced by the most moving, and finely played, oboe (Cathy Wilcox) and cello (Guy Johnson) accompaniment. The mezzo was perhaps not as strong as one would have liked, but the soprano singing had great charm and Catherine Carter's breathing and phrasing were very good. The choir clearly enjoyed their contribution to this popular work, no more so than in the Domine Fili Unigenite when the altos seemed to be almost bobbing up and down to the dance-like music.
At the end of the concert the audience applause for conductor, choir and orchestra was deservedly enthusiastic, and we tumbled out into an unusually (this year) crisp and starlit night feeling that the excitement of Christmas was indeed that little bit nearer.
(Review by Oliver Walker)
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