WINDSOR
FESTIVAL
St
George’s Chapel, Windsor *****
Though the theme of this brilliantly-planned concert was
obviously celebrating the continuing musical links between Britain and America
after 250 years of American independence, there was also an underlying
celebration, Martin Denny’s Silver Jubilee as artistic director of the Windsor
Festival.
Martin cut his teeth in arts management working for Stephannie
Williams Artists in Stratford-uoon-Avon, and was appointed to Windsor in 2001 A
packed house on Thursday was testimony to the success of his achievements, with
this concert generously supported by the Dean and Canons of Windsor.
The first half of the concert centred on Gerald Finzi,
marking his early death 70 years ago, and revealed the awesome skills of James
Vivian’s Choir of St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Attack was incisive, phrasing
was flowing, intonation was scrupulously maintained (as confirmed by organ
re-entries after unaccompanied passages), diction was articulate even in this
warm acoustic, and, most exciting of all, choral sound was gloriously rich,
enhanced by female voices (what a difference they have made to the legendary
Anglican “hoot”). And how professional to see the choristers holding their
beautifully-bound part-books well below their faces.
Finzi’s Magnificat, the substantial and taxing “Lo, the full
final sacrifice”, and the affirmative “God is gone up”, were all impressively
delivered, with a variety of choral soloists, interspersed with solo items from
Luke Bond on the magnificent St George’s organ. These were a trifle wan: Robert
Gower’s arrangement of the Forlana from Finzi’s Five Bagatelles, so well
written for the original clarinet and piano, and a pallid Vaughan Williams’ The
New Commonwealth, which could have been far more stirring.
But Bond certainly had his moment in the second half, after
three spirituals, effectively arranged by Norman Luboff (“Deep River”) and Dale
Adelmann (“Steal Away” and “Ev’ry Time I feel the Spirit”). Some of us golden oldies remembered the Choir
in Tippett’s Five Spirituals from his pacifist oratorio A Child of our Time.
Then Bond came into his own, with a riproaring,
instrument-exploiting account of Charles Ives’ Variations on “America”. Here a
portentous introduction raises the suspense (rather like Dohnanyi’s Variations
on a Nursery Song) until the main subject arrives. One would have forgiven
anyone in the audience for standing, as it is in fact “God Save the King”, which
was the Americans’ national anthem for so long (“My Country, ‘tis of thee”).
This is a fabulous piece, witty, tender,
affectionate, and brilliantly written, and Luke Bond did it more than proud.
And then came one of the great masterpieces to unify the
links between this country and America, Leonard Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms,
commissioned for performance in Chichester Cathedral by the Dean, Rev. Walter
Hussey, who had commissioned works from Finzi and Britten, among others, whilst
Vicar at St Matthew’s in Northampton.
This wonderful work was given an absolutely scintillating
performance by Vivian’s choristers, singing in Hebrew, and vividly accompanied
by organist Bond, magical harpist Sally Pryce, and hard-working percussionist
Rob Millett.
Bernstein’s complex additive rhythms flowed buoyantly, and
there were some magical solos, not least the un-named countertenor in “Adonai”
and, right at the very end, a setting of Psalm 133 which I want at my funeral,
a superlative boy treble whose final note was held forever as this very special
music came to its gentle conclusion.
Unfortunately the final cadence was disturbed by the phone
of an obviously highly important person ringing. Well, he has earned his fifteen
minutes of fame. As has the reviewer who
couldn’t help but rebuke him audibly. I suggest Windsor Festival follow the
example of most theatres, concert-halls and opera-houses and remind patrons to
turn off their mobile phones.
Christopher Morley