Page 66 - BBC Music (January 2020)
P. 66
Reviews
110 CDs, Books & DVDs rated by expert critics
RECORDING OF THE MONTH
Welcome
A new year is upon Epic vision makes this
us, and with it the
anticipation of what Samson the best yet
might be in store over
the coming months.
This month, though, Berta Joncus delights in a glorious new take
we traverse the ages,
with the likes of Rippe, Sweelinck and on Handel’s oratorio from John Butt, the
Gesualdo taking us way back, while Dunedin Consort and a legion of singers
Michael Nyman, Bryce Dessner and
Julian Anderson bring us up to date.
One conductor scores two five-star
reviews: Maxim Emelyanychev action – richly justify Butt’s
presides over a Schubert ‘Great’ adding to his soloists not just the
Symphony with the Scottish Chamber Dunedin chorus, but boy trebles
as well. These choral forces
Orchestra and accompanies Jakub Józef
make for a vibrancy unique
Orli!ski (another bright young thing)
among Samson recordings.
with Il Pomo d’Oro in a dazzling set of
The story, based on Milton’s
countertenor arias. Beyond that we’ve a
retelling of the Old Testament
pair of Bach organ discs, Jonathan Biss’s original (Judges: 13-16) in his
final instalment of Beethoven sonatas poem Samson Agonistes, begins
and an enchanting recording of Grieg near the end: imprisoned,
songs. Happy New Year! blinded and weak, the Israelite
Michael Beek Reviews Editor Handel hero Samson laments his
Samson humiliation, and his marriage
Joshua Ellicott and Hugo to Dalila, who brought him
This month’s critics Hymas (tenors), Jess Dandy down by betraying the secret of
(alto), Matthew Brook and Vitali his super-human strength to the
John Allison, Nicholas Anderson, Kate Bolton- Rozynko (basses), Mary Bevan,
Porciatti, Gary Booth, Geo! Brown, Anthony Philistines. Samson’s exchanges
Burton, Michael Church, Christopher Cook, Sophie Bevan and Fflur Wyn with other characters are broken
Christopher Dingle, Misha Donat, Jessica Duchen, (soprano); Tiffin Boys Choir/ up by choir numbers, often
George Hall, Malcolm Hayes, Julian Haylock, James Day; Dunedin Consort/ snapshot crowd scenes. The
Claire Jackson, Daniel Ja!é, Erica Jeal, Berta John Butt work climaxes with Philistines
Joncus, Stephen Johnson, Erik Levi, Andrew John Butt has created the best crying for help as they are
McGregor, David Nice, Roger Nichols, Bayan Samson ever. He’s chosen the
Northcott, Jeremy Pound, Steph Power, Anthony crushed by the temple that
Pryer, Paul Riley, Jan Smaczny, Michael Tanner, original 1743 version, star Samson, his strength divinely
Sarah Urwin Jones, Kate Wakeling, Helen Wallace soloists with early-music chops restored, pulls down on top of
and his band of top period them all. Stuffed with pathos,
instrumentalists. Above all, he’s poetry, epic scenes and frank
beefed up the choir. The 1743 misogyny – we’re told that ‘self-
KEY TO STAR RATINGS choir consisted of soloists alone, love does rule’ women generally
HHHHH Outstanding but these singers’ three separate – Samson was Handel’s oratorio
HHHH Excellent dramatic roles – as the Israelites, breakthrough, and its success
HHH Good
HH Disappointing the Philistines and a Christian made him devoted to this sacred
H Poor congregation reflecting on the English genre.
68 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
