Page 82 - BBC Music (January 2020)
P. 82
Choral & Song Reviews
Monteverdi touches he elsewhere applies,
Cantatas in the can: Vespro della beate the chant makes these Vespers a
Masaaki Suzuki Disney-like invention, rather than a
records JS Bach Vergine (1610) persuasive re-think of Monteverdi’s
Claire Lefilliâtre (soprano), Fiona vision. Berta Joncus
McGown (mezzo-soprano), Eugénie PERFORMANCE HHH
de Mey (alto), Francisco Mañalich, RECORDING HH
Sébastien Obrecht, Pierre-Antoine
Chaumien (tenor), Renaud Bres, R Schumann
Arnaud Richard (bass); La Tempête/ Myrthen, Op. 25
Simon-Pierre Bestion Camilla Tilling (soprano),
Alpha Classics ALPHA 552 Christian Gerhaher (baritone),
142:07 mins (2 discs) Gerold Huber (piano)
Simon-Pierre Sony 19075945362 52:09 mins
Bestion has In August 1840
radically altered a court ruling
Monteverdi’s paved the way to a
Vespers. His aim long-anticipated
is immersion: union. The
not in Monteverdi’s music, but in following month
what Bestion imagines to be the Robert Schumann and Clara Wieck
religious fervour of c1600. Pushed were joined in matrimony, and
to their limits, the project’s superb on the eve of the nuptials Robert
From the archives musicians deliver moments both presented his bride-to-be with the
ultimate wedding present: Myrthen,
glorious and ludicrous. Silliness
Andrew McGregor basks in a collection of JS Bach’s comes when Bestion pumps up 26 songs exploring the nature of love
Monteverdi with putative ‘Eastern’ across four volumes. The binding
secular cantatas in the hands of Masaaki Suzuki practices – imagined to stem from, was deluxe, unlike the partnership
for instance, Persia, Armenia and itself which, in due course, would be
Bach’s secular cantatas were mostly written Turkey – that he holds to have sundered by Robert’s descent into
for specific occasions – patrons’ birthdays and influenced music-making in madness – prefigured by Gerhaher
weddings; social, academic and political events
17th-century Venice. No matter that with forensic prescience. At one
– and that’s probably the reason there are so few Monteverdi composed his Vespers point in the Byron-setting ‘Aus den
of them: a mere 20 or so cantatas out of the 200
in Mantua. Instead of period hebräischen Gesängen’ he conjures
he composed. Or at least that survived – after insights based on research, Bestion a cold spectral shiver that chills to
the function for which they were written, they’d be shelved, even samples 19th-century musical the bone; and what a contradictory
discarded. Unlike the sacred cantatas a repeat performance
Orientalism, pushing the singers to shock when ‘Räthsel’ – again to
would be highly unlikely, so who knows how many have been lost? scoop, add ornamental loops, sing words by Byron – steals in as if
As these performances from Bach Collegium Japan and Masaaki piercingly and race forward; in tutti butter wouldn’t melt in its mouth.
Suzuki (BIS 2491; 10 CD/SACDs) consistently show, the music is
sections they sound rather like the Those familiar with the first
so good it often transcends the texts, which is why Bach often Bulgarian State Television Female instalment of Gerhaher’s complete
recycled it, and cantatas we don’t know suddenly seem strangely Vocal Choir. Claiming to ‘conjure’ Schumann project will take the
familiar. Bach knew how to write a celebration: check out the
lost traditions, Bestion in fact lards heightened characterisation in their
magnificently uplifting opening of Tönet, ihr Pauken!, BWV 214 for Monteverdi’s score with a Western stride. Nothing is ever ‘generalised’,
the birthday of the Prince-Elector’s wife. The Hunt Cantata, BWV fantasy of Eastern abandonment. and Gerhaher’s command of every
208 for a royal birthday party is more widely appreciated because The recording includes some facet of nuance (be it vocal colour
of the aria we know as ‘Sheep may safely graze’, and Joanne brilliant tracks. In more intimate or psychological insight) never
Lunn’s performance is a highlight, alongside Roderick Williams
sections, notably the Dixit Dominus, compromises the overarching
as Pan. Bach’s Coffee Cantata BWV 211 was on the first volume Laetatus sum and Duo Seraphim, narrative. In this his resolve is
Suzuki recorded in 2003, with a fresh-voiced Carolyn Sampson the licence Bestion grants his immeasurably strengthened
as deliciously energising as a double espresso. Then there’s the
performers accommodates ravishing by pianist Gerold Huber whose
Peasant Cantata, with its rustic comedy embraced by Bach, to the effects. The instrumentalists strut chromatic probing, for example,
obvious delight of singers Mojca Erdmann and Dominik Wörner. as persuasively as they wax lyrical; in ‘Mein Herz ist schwer’, forges a
The soloists are almost universally excellent, the BCJ’s experience
the vocalists, when soft, blend searing union with the baritone’s
pays dividends, and they’re not above letting their hair down in the gorgeously. Extemporisation by both anguished vocalisation. Together
lighter, wittier pieces. players and singers is often stunning. they energise the least promising of
A few dubious attributions are included, plus an incomplete To turn Monteverdi’s isolated material so that the hymnic calm of
Wedding Cantata, and they’ve made space for Bach’s movements into a full service of ‘Zum schluss’ contrives journey’s end
arrangement of Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. The recording quality
worship, Bestion adds 17th-century with no hint of anti-climax. Soprano
is consistently fine, and they’ve remastered the first volume in fauxbourdons – that is, lines added Camilla Tiling ravishes in ‘Burns’,
surround sound to match the rest. They gave Sampson the solo in parallel fourths and sixths below and floats ‘Die Lotusblume’ with a
Cantata 204 to end the series, 13 years after she began it: ‘Ich
the bass – into which the musicians sumptuous languor, but never quite
bin in mir vergnügt’ – I am content in myself. So should they all be. drills down as deeply as Gerhaher.
MARCO BORGGREVE tuck some ear-tickling noodles. But The result is an imbalance, or
Bestion’s chant selection, sourced
from the standardised Catholic
seductive foil. You decide! Paul Riley
Andrew McGregor is the presenter of
Radio 3’s Record Review, broadcast each chant collection used today, is PERFORMANCE HHHH
Saturday morning from 9am until 11.45am ahistorical. Like the ‘Eastern’ RECORDING HHHHH
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