Britten, Purcell and Dowland:
Scottish
Ensemble, Toby Spence (tenor), Jonathan Morton (director),
Martin Owen (horn) Wigmore Hall, 14.10.05
(EM)
A receptive
audience filled the Wigmore Hall on Friday 14th
October for a well-programmed concert of Britten, Dowland
and Purcell. The Scottish Ensemble, led by Jonathan Morton,
opened with Britten’s Variations on a theme of Frank Bridge.
They produced a clear and radiant sound with excellent ensemble
playing, investing the Aria Italiana with a great sense
of fun, and creating a suitably astringent and harsh sound
in the Funeral March.
It was fascinating to hear Dowland’s
If my complaints could passions move next, given that
the ensuing Lachrymae theme is based on this song.
Toby Spence’s beautifully controlled vibrato was masterly,
and his occasional husky, rasped note was fairly atmospheric
– although at times he sounded almost too rough and harsh,
and one wondered quite how intentional this astringency was.
This Lachrymae
was wonderfully chilling and captivating from the opening
note - well-paced and beautifully performed. It also included
outstanding solo viola playing from Jonathan Morton, the principal
violinist and director – very impressive.
Purcell’s fascinating and brilliant Fantazia upon one Note
followed, in which the cantus firmus voice continually plays
a middle C throughout the entire work, without detracting
from the piece at all. The contrasts within this work and
the following Fantazia No 7 were brought out excellently.
The concert concluded with one of Britten’s
great masterpieces, the Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings.
I was slightly disappointed by the horn opening, which didn’t
quite have the power, confidence or spaciousness that I would
have liked to hear. Spence, on the other hand, seemed far
from apprehensive, and gave a very relaxed, intimate and informal
performance (with beautiful enunciation!). He has a powerful
voice, with a slightly boyish sound in the upper register
that suited the work well, whilst his tone - generally a little
harsh and rough – is one that is perfect for the austerity
of Britten (as epitomised by Philip Langridge). On the whole,
however, I did not feel that he was quite gripping or haunting
enough – Nocturne, although superbly sung, was too
pretty and not dark or moving enough, and Dirge, taken
at a fairly swift pace, was not quite as ghostly as it could
have been (although it was still very effective). I felt that
the horn slides in Elegy were too clean and therefore
not as harrowing as I would have liked, and although I loved
Spence’s sinister “joy” (Elegy), the word “bright”
in the Hymn needed to be a little snappier. The Sonnet
was exceptionally beautiful, however, with gorgeously translucent
strings at the final, magical “and seal the hushed Casket
of my Soul”.
On the whole,
I was extremely impressed with this concert – Toby Spence
is a talented singer, with a good voice for Britten, and the
Scottish Ensemble is a dedicated and top quality string group,
well-led from the violin by Jonathan Morton. A thoroughly
enjoyable evening!
Em
Marshall
