More on last night's Proms. This should be read in conjunction with the previous post.
I am fairly familiar with Britten's War Requiem, but don't have it in my collection, and it's been a while since I heard it.
It combines the structure of a standard requiem with the poetry of Wilfred Owen, and was written for the consecration of the new Coventry Cathedral in 1962. Incidentally, there's a performance at the Royal Festival Hall on 8 May - VE Day - next year.
Although fundamentally irreligious, I am a sucker for religious music. I really can't praise the War Requiem highly enough. Some contemplative passages are contrasted with some passionate, loud parts. As I mentioned in the previous post, the Libera Me especially got to me. The ensemble is quite something - a full adult choir on stage, and a children's chorus ethereal in the organ stalls. And the orchestra! Lots of percussion! I was fascinated by the layout - down at the front, was a timpanist/bass drummer who occasionally also doubled as tam tam player. There was another set of timpani, another bass drum, side drums, castanets, two xylophones, and, if I recall correctly, tubular bells as well. And the organ.
And the soloists. Below, I don't really mention the soprano. Musically, she was fine, with a rich voice. But I much preferred the male soloists. I realise that below, I may seem harsh on Simon Keenlyside - that was only because my expectations were so high. And also, in my view he was simply not as good as Ian Bostridge. But they worked excellently as a duo, enunciated the words well, and seemed to understand and to want to project the meaning of Wilfred Owen's words.
It seemed clear to me that a fair proportion of the audience had come either to hear Simon, or regarded him as an added bonus. As he stood up for his first solo, you could feel the excitement round the hall. Ladies fanned themselves more vigorously, and as one the circle reached for their opera glasses. (Well, not me, I'd left mine at home...)
I was intrigued afterwards, when getting some air before the Taverner, to go to the stage door to find a teenage girl (and her Mum) waiting with excitement for Sir Colin Davis. She seemed to be holding back, just wanting a picture. It struck me later that if she had gone up to him and said "I'm a really big fan of yours" I'm sure he would have been at least civil, and probably more, because most sensible musicians are only too keen to encourage youngsters.
The Taverner was something quite different again, making the Britten look positively traditional. I suppose it helps that you know Taverner is semi-mystic, and a convert to Greek Orthodoxy, which tends to permeate most of his music. The production was semi-staged, sort of in the round, with some performers on stage, some on a centre stage where the fountain normally goes, and some at the back of the prom area. The eighth and final cycle had singers standing on all the Stalls stairs. Someone on the bus described being in the Prom area as being in the middle of a celestial tennis match. And I partly got that feeling from the Stalls.
The musical mainstay was the organ, played by James Vivian, who didn't stop for the two and three quarter hours of the performance, except during the recitatives. Other instruments used were mainly percussion - tubular bells, tam tams, and three Tibetan drums. These were all played by teenagers. There were also a dudak (an Armenian double reed instrument) and Tibetan horns. For the final cycle, horns and timpani were added.
Although Taverner is incredibly modern, the melodies were exquisitely soaring, especially in the repeated use of the Kyrie leeso�, el�is�n me. I don't suppose even the full concert version, let alone the vigil will be oft performed, which is a shame. For me, and, judging by the conversations overheard on the way out, for others, the bits to be cut should be the long gospel recitatives. Whether that will happen, I don't know, for theological reasons. I have to confess that my mind wondered a bit, especially during the tenor's recitative in Cycle 7. This lasted for about twenty or twenty five minutes, and, I hasten to add, was splendidly executed by Simon Wall - twenty five minutes of unaccompanied plainchant must be horrendously difficult. But for my concentration span, twenty five minutes is just too long!
The majority of voices used were male, although Cycles One and Eight included a soprano (Patricia Rozario) with a challenging part well delivered. I particularly liked the soaring female voices in the choral bits. At the end, the soloists and conductor (Stephen Layton) processed off, followed by Sir John Taverner himself (he is one tall man!), followed by the choruses, and finally, by the audience, who were a little non-plussed at the direction to process off after the performers. Especially as many of us headed straight for the toilets, perhaps a rather prosaic ending to an experience I shall remember for a very long time.
Two rubbish photos taken at the end of the Requiem give some indication of the visuals. I wish I had taken some for the Taverner, because it was visually quite something, and I had a Stalls seat, but, without curtain calls, there wasn't really an appropriate moment.
Interview with Taverner.
Update: Two things I forgot to mention: at the end of the War Requiem, there was total silence. Colin Davis stood there holding the baton, and the entire hall sat holding its breath, or in quiet contemplation. After many minutes, Sir Colin lowered the baton, and the audience erupted in enthusiastic and sustained applause.
I think the Taverner should have had some incense.
update Telegraph review
