|
Early
music at St Mary's A
Review by
Peter Kennedy A Sunday
afternoon in January 2007, with the feel of early Spring, and the pews of
the church of St Mary the Virgin full almost to capacity with an audience
eager to hear the Cavendish Consort and the singers of In Accord.
Andrew Spencer introduced a programme of music designed to fit the
sense of Epiphany -- or revelation -- at this, the start of the year
"on a lovely afternoon on which to hear this wonderful music". In Accord, under the direction of Hilary Brunning, commenced with Gaudete, gaudete, Christus est natus; Marcel Glover providing melodious accompaniment on bells [the bells were made at the world-famous Whitechapel Bell Foundry]. The period instruments of the Consort then accompanied several mediaeval songs one of which was evidently Good King Wenceslas with somewhat unfamiliar – i.e. mediaeval - words. A number of
sacred songs were rendered by In Accord with truly beautiful harmony, the
unaccompanied voices swelling and rising through the tenebrous height and
filtering away in the distant rafters of the nave.
The Consort then played a William Byrd setting followed by a hymn
with German solo sung by Andrew Spencer. Andrew gave
us a little history of mediaeval customs at the New Year when not only did
aristocrats give presents to their servants, but the servants gave
presents to their masters. Gloves
were a favourite gift [nothing changes].
Andrew sang Green grow the
holly, a galliard attributed to King Henry VIII.
The Consort then re-arranged themselves to play a number of tunes
pitched a semitone lower, including Blow,
blow thou winter wind to mark the beginning of the hurricane season.
Two harpsichord tunes and variations were played by Toby Parr, the
singers replied with two madrigals, and then for a finale the assembled
company together with the audience sang a joyful Epiphany carol.
This had been a most enjoyable and stimulating concert, which Graham Wadley is pleased to announce has raised in the region of £200 for the church fund. It had been most happily played and sung in the beautiful and atmospheric surroundings of St Mary's, and the audience went away truly uplifted. Peter
Kennedy Note:
This article first appeared in the Spring Edition of Wivenhoe News
|