Officium defunctorum (Requiem 1603-5) and other works
Victoria
The Tallis Scholars, directed by Peter Phillips
Having joined an early music chamber choir in the last year, I couldn't resist the opportunity to hear the Tallis Scholars perform the music of Renaissance polyphonist, Tomas Luis de Victoria, who died 400 years ago this year, especially as the outing also included dinner and socialising beforehand with friends from my new choir. Given the strong possibility that we may perform the Victoria Requiem ourselves next year, we felt we should go at least in the interests of research.
The great cavernous space of the Royal Albert Hall is challenging to say the least for a capella performance, and having been disappointed in the past in seats that were simply too far from the stage to allow the listener to hear at a good enough volume, let alone to truly engage with the performance, I made sure that we got stalls seats as close as possible to the stage. It was certainly the right decision, as the performance at that distance was wonderful. The music, simple and sonorous, yet complex and emotional, calms and energises, and the Funeral Motet sung towards the end of the work and dedicated on this occasion to the Norwegian nation following the terrible events there just a few days before, was very moving.
This review wouldn't be complete without a mention of the Lamentations for Good Friday sung earlier in the evening, also by Victoria. Having sung some of the Lassus Lamentations quite recently I enjoyed this performance of these settings by Victoria tremendously. The intensity and beauty of their despair matched those of Lassus, whose works are quite extraordinary. The alphabeticised openings of each verse, decorated and anticipatory, were particularly lovely.
Really hoping to be singing Victoria in the near future.
SB
No comments:
Post a Comment