For this reissue of
the Birtwistle classic, "Punch
and Judy", we have to thank NMC
Recordings. Their Ancora series is devoted
to reissuing important modern British
works, deleted elsewhere. Even more
importantly, NMC’s policy is never to
delete its own titles, so this recording
will be permanently available. Given
current market forces, this is a remarkable
act of faith, which should be admired,
respected and supported. Congratulations,
NMC for helping to keep new British
music alive !
"Punch and Judy"
is a delightful "tragical comedy
or comic tragedy ", which rather
sums up its anarchic spirit. When it
was premiered at Aldeburgh in 1968,
it caused a furore even in those relatively
enlightened circles. Benjamin Britten
walked out. Time, however, has vindicated
Birtwistle, who has now become almost
part of the establishment and even has
a knighthood. Britten might choke! On
the other hand Britten might also have
liked some of Birtwistle’s later work.
Nonetheless, thinking back to the 1960s,
maybe its shock value is understandable.
Punch and Judy, the puppets, are violent,
however much they might have been prettied
up. Punch is a vicious psychotic, and
the policeman almost equally evil. Violence
is staple fare in popular culture –
think of Sylvester the Cat and Tweetie
Pie. On the other hand, Tweetie Pie
always escapes, and is clearly a character
to identify with. Punch, on the other
hand is an unredeemed psychotic, an
evil force straight out of the Id, controlling
and himself uncontrollable.
Traditionally, Punch
and Judy are puppets safely contained
within the confines of a booth. On stage,
however, they are unrestrained and wander
dangerously free. Birtwistle creates
a tight musical structure to hold in
the drama, a kind of musical puppet
booth, perhaps even a prison without
walls. The action starts and ends with
the Choregos, (Greek chorus leader),
who comments on the action with an element
of detachment: when he himself is drawn
into the action part way through, it’s
quite unsettling, as Birtwistle no doubt
knew. The music is also organised in
distinct sections, modelled explicitly
on Bach Passions. This adds yet another
disturbing element to the whole, but
has a certain logic, given that Birtwistle
has said he considered the St Matthew
Passion "an ideal in that the very
layout and structure of the work constitute
a kind of theatre which does not depend
on theatrical realisation to make its
point". Choregos as Evangelist?
Shocking possibilities … but the idea
of theatre without theatrical convention
is intriguing.
Forty years on, the
music doesn’t sound nearly as bizarre
as it must have at first. Neither has
it dated, which is even more important.
The strange, contorted quirks in the
legato still have the power to unsettle,
and the curious singing style – half
cartoon, half farce – still works well.
Stephen Roberts spits out Punch’s lines
as if he were spitting like a snake,
then curls his vowels menacingly. His
pursuit of Pretty Polly, too, is shaped
with slimy malice – no wonder she‘s
not having him! All the characters are
sung with highly stylised melodrama,
which is what’s needed. Lurid-coloured
staging and costumes would go so well.
The minimalist orchestration focuses
attention on the contortions of the
vocal lines. Even if there were alternative
recordings available this would be one
to choose because it’s such a vivid
performance.
Anne Ozorio
for details
London Sinfonietta/David Atherton 
