In Memoriam
William BYRD (1539/40-1623)
Laudibus in sanctis [5:18]
Matthew KANER (b 1986)
Duo seraphim [5:09]
Gareth WILSON (b 1976)
Magnificat and Nunc dimittis (Collegium Regale) [11:00]
Silvina MILSTEIN (b 1956)
ushnarasmou – untimely spring [8:42]
Francis POTT (b 1957)
Nigra sum sed formosa [6:30]
Jean L’HÉRITIER (c 1480 – c 1551)
Nigra sum sed formosa [5:31]
Robert BUSIAKIEWICZ (b 1990)
Ego sum resurrectio et vita [2:27]
Rob KEELEY (b 1960)
Magnificat and Nunc dimittis [7:07]
Antony PITTS (b 1969)
Pie Jesu (Prayer of the Heart) [12:33]
Matthew MARTIN (b 1976)
An Invocation to the Holy Spirit [2:43]
Giovanni Pierluigi da PALESTRINA (1525-1594)
Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui [4:38]
Jacob CLEMENS Non Papa (c 1510-1555/6)
Ego flos campi [5:27]
Francis GRIER (b 1955)
Panis angelicus [2:46]
The Choir of King’s College, London/Gareth Wilson
rec. 22-24 June 2015, Church of St John the Evangelist, Upper Norwood, London
Texts and English translations included
DELPHIAN DCD34146 [79:59]
The sudden death of David Trendell (1964-2014), who succumbed
to a brain haemorrhage in November 2014, must have been a hammer-blow to the
community of King’s College, London and especially to the members of
its choir. He was only fifty years old and though he had already enjoyed a
career of no little distinction he would surely have achieved much more. An
organist, musicologist, teacher and choral trainer, he had been senior lecturer
and director of music at King’s College since 1992.
To mark his passing – and to celebrate the work he had done at King’s
- the choir has recorded this CD which draws together many strands but in
particular his love and deep knowledge of Golden Age polyphony and also his
wide-ranging musical interest. So the programme includes four polyphonic pieces.
The remaining music includes contributions from former colleagues of David
Trendell at King’s - Gareth Wilson, Silvia Milstein, Rob Keeley –
and from some of his former students – Matthew Kaner and Robert Busiakiewicz.
Most of the new pieces – all of which here receive their first recordings
– have been composed specifically in memory of David Trendell; in fact,
I think I’m right in saying that only the ‘Mag’ and Nunc’
by Rob Keeley, composed in 2006, don’t fall into that category. The
choir is directed by Gareth Wilson who became acting director of music on
Trendell’s death, serving in that post until August 2015.
The polyphonic music is all well chosen – and well sung. Byrd’s
Latin metrical paraphrase of Psalm 150 gets things off to a splendid start
and, I think, sends out a signal that though this disc may be a memorial it’s
not going to be a mournful affair. Byrd’s teeming polyphony is done
with energy, skill and clarity. We learn from the notes that Byrd was David
Trendell’s favourite composer. I suspect that he would have been proud
of this joyful performance. The piece by Jean L’héritier is sung in
Trendell’s own edition. The choir gives a lovely performance of this
piece with its long-spun lines though I had the impression, perhaps wrongly,
that the tone of the tenors was a little thin in comparison to other sections
of the choir. Near the end of the recital Palestrina’s setting of words
from the Song of Songs is well done; the refined beauty of Palestrina’s
music seems to be something of a contrast with the almost erotic nature of
the words. For me the pick of the bunch among these polyphonic offerings,
both as music and performance, is Ego flos campi by Clemens non Papa.
We’re told that this was a favourite piece of Trendell’s and perhaps
the choir steps up an extra gear because of this? They sing this serene music
quite beautifully and everything seems to be in perfect proportion, a comment
that could just as easily apply to the music itself.
There are some interesting offerings among the contemporary compositions.
Francis Pott contributes a characteristically well-crafted and thoughtful
setting of Nigra sum sed Formosa. He starts with the same text as
L’héritier but then sets an expanded version of it. The music has some
beguiling textures – it’s a finely woven musical tapestry. For
the most part the music is gentle and contemplative. From time to time solo
voices soar out of and over the main choir and special praise is due for principal
soprano, Lindsey James. The hushed end of Pott’s piece is very lovely.
Incidentally, though the Pott piece precedes the L’héritier on the disc
I found it was quite rewarding to play his composition second.
Matthew Kaner’s piece is for three separate choirs – high, medium
and low voices – and exploits the differences and space between them
effectively. I had the impression that the highest voices often dominated
and I wondered if this was by design or simply reflected the numbers and relative
strengths of voice in the sections of this particular choir. Gareth Wilson’s
‘Mag’ and ‘Nunc’ bear the title Collegium Regale
but they were written specifically for this choir and not for the other
one in Cambridge. The Magnificat is a strongly projected piece; both the choral
writing and the independent – and important – organ part are full
of interest and incident. This is a dynamic composition. By contrast the ‘Nunc’
is sung for the most part by the upper voices with organ. The music is subdued
and rather fragile at first but rises from hushed intensity to a more overt
intensity, especially when the male voices join in for the doxology. This
is an impressive set of Canticles. I’m afraid I found Rob Keeley’s
set, scored for women’s voices and organ, less interesting though it’s
sung with no little confidence.
Francis Grier is typically challenging in his short setting of Panis angelicus.
Here a solo soprano and tenor carol above a subdued three-part male voice
choir. The tonality is very ambiguous and it’s a strange but effective
piece. The two soloists, Charlotte Nohavicka and James Rhoads, do well. Not
for the first time I found myself drawn strongly to a piece by Matthew Martin.
His An Invocation to the Holy Spirit is very gentle and pensive and
Martin uses harmony to touching effect.
The Choir of King’s College do David Trendell’s memory proud here.
I’ve admired several of their previous discs and I mean it as a sincere
compliment when I say that his passing does not appear to have affected their
standards. Clearly Gareth Wilson had stepped into the breach to excellent
effect; he has trained them very well in what must have been a musically and
emotionally demanding programme. The pieces that are accompanied, namely the
two sets of Canticles, benefit from excellent playing by the college’s
organ scholars, Graham Thorpe and Alexander May.
Gareth Wilson has now moved on, to Girton College Cambridge, and it will be
interesting to see how this choir develops under its new, young director of
music, Joseph Fort.
As is invariably the case, Delphian’s production values are high. Paul
Baxter has recorded the choir with his customary skill and clarity. The notes
are by Michael Emery who manages to combine in them with great success a tribute
to David Trendell and useful comments about the music.
John
Quinn
Support
us financially by purchasing this from |
|
 |
|