My outing with NCO and choir in Llewellyn Hall is a highlight of my year and this was a doozy: Beethoven Missa Solemnis. Not at all easy but with plenty of mates to tackle it with. Not just one but two choirs. I counted 148 listed in the program, 86 choristers, 57 instrumentalists, 4 solo singers and Louis as conductor but I know of one who had to pull out so perhaps 147 total for the afternoon performance. Whatever, it was big and exciting and hugely demanding to boot. Everyone agreed to that. A scary-fast Gloria with unisons and fugues to melt over, and a few other fugues throughout. Many notes on dense pages, even for our relatively clumsy bottom enders. Exhilarating despite trepidation and occasional terror. It's probably the most demanding part I've known for preparation and where fingering and string choice was of the essence. The fast lines were often twisted not scalar and basses had two octave jumps and sudden semiquaver lines at speed and all manner of tempo changes and demanding confidence on first-up quiet, long notes and then that odd whimper to end. There were spots to relax, but always the awareness of coming demands. But we did it and it was well done. Apparently this was the first performance of this piece in Canberra since 1990. One of the choir had sung in that! Missa Solemnis was written after Symphony no. 9, so after Beethoven's magnum opus. He was deaf by then and exploring religion through doubt and the words of the Catholic Mass. All fascinating. For the performers it was exhilarating, demanding, scary, all those things as well as an impressive performance and something worthy to remember. Amusingly, I was down at Manuka today, the day after, hearing the bells of St Christopher's, honestly able to say I'd attended 3 masses in the last two days (2 rehearsals and one performance). As for now, I'm looking forward to Tim's recording and a listen. Thanks to all and especially our leader Louis.
Beethoven Missa Solemnis was performed at Llewellyn Hall by National Capital Orchestra with Canberra Choral Society and the Llewellyn Choir and singers Sarah Darnley-Stuart (soprano), Emma Mauch (alto), Ryan O'Donnell (tenor) and Stivenu Talei (bass). Louis Sharpe (Director) conducted and Dan Walker (chorus master) prepared the vocals.
I've just had the chance to listen through the whole work from a mix that I have done today with Tim's 16-track recording. I must say I am flabbergasted. It's a difficult work but we did a magnificent job, we who are not the Berlin Phil but a local amateur group with some pros on vocals and directing. I am floored and mightily proud. What a work. I had read the review in Canberra CityNews by Len Power and it had me questioning my reticence. This was a seriously decent take by a community orchestra. I'll borrow a few quotes from Len: "The work is rarely performed because it is one of the most demanding pieces in both choral and orchestral repertoire", "From the opening Kyrie, the performers sang and played confidently, giving an engaging and energetic performance that continued at a high standard throughout this lengthy work", "the playing and singing of the Sanctus was sensitively done and, in the Benedictus, first violinist Thayer Preece Parker played the high solo part so movingly, it was one of the highlights of the performance", "the soloists['] ... voices rang out superbly, blending well with each other", " a performance that everyone involved should be proud of. They were given well-deserved, lengthy applause at the conclusion of this outstanding concert" ( https://citynews.com.au/2024/big-beethoven-work-gets-a-big-audience-reaction/ ). As a final observation, I was reading the Symph. 9 part this morning for casual practice and I found there are many parallels between Missa Solemnis and B9. Same year; many similarities. Now it no longer looks insurmountable. Missa Solemnis by NCO+ was just a fabulous outing. Congrats and thanks to all. / Eric
ReplyDelete