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SEEN AND HEARD
INTERNATIONAL CONCERT REVIEW
Noël! Noël!:
Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Choir: Paul Dyer Artistic Director and
conductor. St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, 17.12.2009 (ZT) Juan Gutiérrez de Padilla:
Deus in adiutorium Biagio Marini: Canzon
terza a 4 from Sonate, symphonie… e retornelli, Op.8 Juan de Araujo: ¡Aquí,
Valentónes! Nicola Matteis: La dia
spangnola Juan Arañés: Chacona Henry le Bailly:
Pascalle-La folie Yo soy la locura Juan Garcia de Zéspedes:
Juguette a 4 Francisco Hernández:
Sancta Maria é! Giancomo Carissimi: O
felix anima Enriquez Valderrábano:
Pavana/ La Cacarossa Traditional Provençal:
Un flambeau,Jeanette,Isabelle Morten Lauridsen: O
nata lux,from Lux aeterna Traditional: God rest ye
merry, gentlemen Luys de Narvaez: Con qué
la lavaré William J. Kirkpatrick:
Away in a manger John Francis Wade: O
come, all ye faithful Zane Turner
Anon: Hanacpachap cussicuinin; Dulce Jesús mio
The main chapel of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta was filled to capacity on
Dec 17. This was the fourth Australian Brandenburg Orchestra recital in a series
of nine held in Sydney city, suburbs and regionally, Dec.12-21. There is no
interval in this concert series.
It was an evening for the voices: the choir comprised twenty-six voices
and the orchestra thirteen players. The current concert series entitled Noel!
Noel! Is strongly suggestive of repertory in keeping with the Festive Season and
the programme fulfilled all such expectations. There was also a good
representation of complementary polyphonic period masterpieces. The choir sang
in English, Latin, Spanish, and for the first time the indigenous language of
the Chiquito Indians of Mexico.
The superb singing of the Brandenburg Choir was enhanced by creative direction.
For the opening item, Hanacpachap cussicuninin , a processional sacred
song sung in the Quechua language of the Incas, the choir was placed at one end
of the chapel and the orchestra at the other, and then progressively merged. On
another occasion the choir was dispersed in groups to the four corners of the
chapel; males on one side and females on the other. These arrangements have
quite spectacular acoustical effects on what one hears in such environments.
This technique is well demonstrated by the Tallis Scholars on their recording of
Allegri’s Miserere (Gimell 454930-2). Fully constituted the Brandenburg
Choir comprises 32 members, and although all professional singers - many of whom
hold music degrees- they do not all sing full time.
Depleted in total numbers, the Orchestra performed to their usual high
standards. Their physical arrangement was not usual in that, to accommodate
programmed items, three sackbutt players were segregated and faced their
orchestral colleagues. For this concert series a classical six-stringed guitar
has been added to the string section, and featured in several solo situations.
Contrary to the programme notes, it was not a period instrument but a modern
classical guitar. On this occasion it served mainly to remind us what a small,
timid sound this instrument can have relative to its associates the violins and
cello; it also highlighted the significantly superior musicianship of the other
stringed-instrument players.
This was a memorable musical experience, capable of elevating the spirits and
nurturing the soul; a perfect harbinger for the Festive Period.