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The London Handel Festival 2009:  Acis & Galatea at St. Lawrence Whitchurch,

Saturday 14.3.2009 (SL)

St. Lawrence Whitchurch (interior)

When Place and Music Combine to Charm

One of the delights of reviewing is the chance to visit parts of the world that would otherwise remain unknown.  Sometimes this might be a foreign capital; sometimes a rural hideaway; and sometimes it is the most surprising thing of all: the jewel in the tat of modern urban sprawl, previously passed unnoticed or indeed, ignored.

The London Handel Festival is continuing throughout the capital, and as well as the headline events in the major venues there are also “fringe” performances sprinkled around the area, and it was almost by chance that this writer found herself in deepest Edgware on Saturday last, and looking for St. Lawrence Whitchurch, Little Stanmore.   For it was here that the LHF had advertised two performances of Handel’s lovely masque/serenata “Acis & Galatea” and it was only on reading the detail of the performance that I realised that not only was the location one of Handel’s old stamping grounds (part of the old Cannons estate as owned by the Duke of Chandos) but that the church itself was being re-built when Handel was there, and that within it was the very organ (partly restored) that the great man had played himself, and from which he probably directed the first performance of this masque in 1718.  Such historical fact is interesting in itself and gives verisimilitude to any artistic encounter, but it was the unexpected beauty of both exterior and interior that made the event memorable in more than a musical sense.  Without going into detail – that can be found at the link below and hinted at in the accompanying photographs – suffice to say that as the spring sunlight shafted through the windows onto the painted walls and ancient box pews, there was a palpable frisson of connection with the man whose music we were enjoying.

That music did not let the surroundings down: after an hors d'œuvre in the form of Handel’s Organ Concerto in D Minor Op.7 played by Mark Williams, the first scampering phrases of the overture by La Luova Musica responded with lively enthusiasm to the energetic yet sensitive direction of David Bates. There was crisply defined phrasing and some lovely work from the winds in both accompagnato and arias.  This “chamber” version of the work (the earlier, 1718 version) entailed five soloists (including the character of Coridon, whose music is often sung by Damon) but they were also combined as the commenting chorus as well.  This meant that one could listen to them in full solo flow, but also as an ensemble and it was interesting to note how the individual singers adapted and adjusted.

The listed bass was indisposed so the giant Polyphemus was sung by young Callum Thorpe, who is gaining a good reputation for his focused and warm tone.  He was equally impressive in his ease of delivery and fluidity, and is a name to note for the future. The roles of Coridon, Damon and Acis are, of course, all tenor roles yet in this performance there were clear variations in tone and delivery:  Laurence Cummings (more often seen directing from the harpsichord and Musical Director of the entire Festival) in the small role of Coridon sang correctly if with limited projection. Simon Wall as the well-advising Damon was impressive in his smooth line and pleasingly elegant musicality – his “Consider, fond shepherd” would be hard to better - and Nathan Vale was a robust Acis who was most impressive when tackling the martial “Love sounds th’alarm”.  Galatea was sung by the established young opera soprano Lucy Crowe, and she was, quite frankly, in another league entirely.  Her polished technique, fluid trills and agile leaps, combined with a gleaming effortless tone that would have filled a place ten times the size.

Listening to this standard of music-making in such a venue was worth a dozen run-of-the mill concerts by far greater names, and must be one of the great glories of the London Handel Festival; long may it continue to be well-supported and encouraged.

Sue Loder

To book other concerts at the LHF:  www.london-handel-festival.com

To visit St. Lawrence Whitchurch, Little Stanmore, Edgware, London:

www.little-stanmore.org

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