Out of the Darkness
Julian MARSHALL Out of the Darkness [35:50]
Gavin BRYARS (b.1943) The
Garden Chapel [17:07]
Arvo PÄRT (b.1935) Spiegel
im Spiegel (1978) [8:24]
Melanie Pappenheim (mezzo); Sophie Harris (cello); Lucy Railton (cello); Ian
Belton (piano, keyboard)
School House 6 Ensemble/Howard Moody
rec. April and May 2009, Eastcote Studios, Kore Studios and Metropolis Studios,
London. DDD
MMC 101 [61:33]
Julian Marshall’s Chamber Cantata, Out of the Darkness, has a
mysterious tone from the outset. The opening Prologue alternates between
unison chant-style lines and open and dissonant harmonies which rarely resolve,
creating a sense of foreboding. The title comes from a poem by Gertrud Kolmar,
who lost her life in Auschwitz. The music is scored for chamber choir, mezzo-soprano
and a pair of cellos. It uses a range of styles, from dissonant, twisting melodic
lines to lighter styles, including tango, which features heavily in the second
movement (entitled One). The accompanying cellos are highly effective,
giving a variety of textures and a wonderful timbre. The style of singing on
this recording verges towards folk rather than classical. The sound is less
blended than choral music often is and gives a particular effect. This seems
less polished but more emotionally raw. There is a distinct human element that
comes through and this reaches out to the listener. This is a work which has
impact on an emotional level.
The Island Chapel by Gavin Bryars was composed for a performance in
St Nicholas Chapel in St Ives: a small chapel which is in an isolated situation
overlooking the sea. It makes reference to the Tate St Ives, who commissioned
the work, and to paintings by James Hugonin which are hung in the chapel and
in the gallery. Exploring the relationships between these elements it is conceived
for a performance in a space which would accommodate six audience members.
This is an intimate work which combines a chamber-music style closeness with
a sense of space and of the outdoors including the expansive distances of the
sea reaching out to the horizon. The small forces (keyboard, often holding
long drones, cello and mezzo) are highly effective, recorded here with musicians
who have a real affinity for the music. Melanie Pappenheim’s uncomplicated
voice is particularly effective, imparting purity, and occupying its own acoustic
space within the ensemble. The richness of the Sophie Harris’s cello
adds a hint of luxury, while the keyboard provides a subtle backdrop for the
action, giving a gentle atmosphere with string-like held chords. This is another
emotionally strong piece, which sits well next to Marshall’s cantata.
Pärt’s Spiegel im Spiegel was originally written for violin
and piano, but has since been performed in many versions, including for bass
clarinet, alto flute, horn, viola, percussion and this version for cello. Its
genius lies in its simplicity, creating the effect of a meditation on sound,
which transports the listener into another realm. This recording is beautiful,
with just the right amount of vibrato in the cello to keep the sound alive
but without interrupting the line. Being ultra-critical, the piano is a tiny
bit too loud in the balance for my taste, but that is a small point. I could
listen to this for hours.
Carla Rees