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Liederabend - Purcell and his Contemporaries: Birmingham Conservatoire 4.1. 2009 (GR)


Of the many events this year to commemorate the 350^th anniversary of the birth of Henry Purcell, the one presented on the evening of Jan 4^th by the Birmingham Conservatoire was a little bit special. The students and staff served up a varied and entertaining fayre of English musical habits from the 17^th century. With tables and chairs replacing the normal auditorium arrangements in their Recital Hall, an intimate atmosphere was created for this Liederabend. Devised by in-house Early Music specialists Martin Perkins and Andrew King the menu comprised five courses of differing style, illustrating the wide range of genre covered by Purcell.

Perkins began the Conservatoire version of Orpheus Britannicus (a collection of songs published after Purcell’s death by his widow) by introducing some words from the Birthday Ode for Queen Mary. Further readings recalled the music of Purcell to be the ‘glory of temple and stage’ and that the composer’s talent was ‘one in a thousand’. With Purcell In the King’s Favour as Act I was entitled, Daniel René Saether and chorus opened the music with a rousing rendition of Come, ye Sons of Art, giving everyone good cause to celebrate. The popular Sound the Trumpet was given the royal treatment as Adrian Boorman joined Saether for the ‘sprightly’ counter-tenor duet.

King moved the proceedings on to At the Theatre with a brief history lesson. Kay Standen then began the Act II music, beguiling all our cares with her Music for a While complete with the ground bass of Perkins on harpsichord and Hetti Price on cello. In Sweeter than Roses Penelope Appleyard struck a good contrast between an opening bittersweet mood and her victorious ‘shot like fire’. Lucy Harvey was suitably agitated and expressive during From rosy bow’rs, the mad scene from Don Quixote. Another example of Purcell’s incidental music for the stage was O lead me to some peaceful gloom from Bonduca, provided by Rachel Bowden’s suitably heroic contribution.

The gloomy end to Act II gave way to some bawdiness In the Ale House. Mispronunciation of the Old English use of the letter ‘f’ can produce embarrassment all round as King amusingly demonstrated (shades of the Vicar of Dibley). Other events as might have been recorded in The London Spy were recalled including a graphic account of O Sweet Sir Walter from one of the students. The humorous mood was maintained with some unaccompanied drinking songs. Rosie Secker, Stephanie Darkins and Joseph Kennedy brightly philosophised on the power of wine. I particularly liked I gave her cakes; as the round(s) flowed freely from the delightful trio of Claire Lees, Helena Raeburn and Andrea Tjäder, the temptations of Bacchus made their kisses more alluring. Having forewarned the outside guests of their required participation in the final round in Act III, the moment had arrived. After a few rehearsals of ’Tis women makes us love from King, the final result from my seat sounded O.K. The pub atmosphere spilled over into the interval when the students split into threes for a series of Purcell catches, all with intriguing titles including ’Tis too late for a coach.

Act IV concentrated on another aspect of Purcell’s music – Private Devotion. In general I found this section less appealing but I admired Linnéa Markgren’s The Blessed Virgin’s Expostulation, no sheet music required by this soloist for one of the longest items in the whole programme.

The last act At the Chapel Royal comprised three vocal excerpts from the music Purcell composed for the Burial Service for Queen Mary. Perhaps the most ambitious of the items selected, the quartet of Alexandra Saunders, Francesca Saracino, Peter Nicholson and Lewis Jones delivered some lovely ensemble singing, balanced both harmonically and dynamically. As usual with such Conservatoire events, the performers enthusiasm was infectious – a highly enjoyable evening.

Geoff Read


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