United Kingdom Greenwood, Britten, Beethoven: Mary Bevan (soprano); 12 Ensemble. St Martin-in-the-Fields, London, 8.8.2024. (CC)
Jonny Greenwood – Three Miniatures from Water (2018)
Britten – Les Illuminations
Beethoven – String Quartet in A-minor, Op.132, Molto adagio
The 12 Ensemble is a conductorless string ensemble; though referred to as ‘12’ Ensemble, it’s versatile in measurement. They’re an Artist-in-Residence at Wigmore Corridor for 2023-25; they’re clearly of excessive excellence, delivering excellent performances of all three (very totally different) works.
The clear excessive level of this quick live performance was a efficiency of Britten’s Les Illuminations with soprano Mary Bevan. a bit which options on Bevan’s Signum disc Visions Illuminées. Bevan is without doubt one of the most interesting singers working in (and past) the UK at present. The efficiency of Britten’s masterpiece at this iconic venue in Trafalgar Sq. was much more persuasive than the Signum recording, extra alive, and positively extra visceral. Not simply vocally: the string ’fanfares’ of the opening carried actual weight (as did their ‘enlargement’ in ‘Royauté’). The sense of ensemble in ‘Villes’ (‘Cities’) was of pinpoint execution; moods modified on a sixpence. Bevan’s diction was excellent all through, even at velocity. In distinction to the extra outgoing actions, the crystalline sounds of ‘Phrase’ from the strings and Bevan’s remarkably floated higher register (and faultless descending glissando) had been transportative to a different realm. ‘Vintage’ requires actual suavité from each voice and solo violin (Eloisa-Fleur Thorn), absolutely realised right here.
Bevan’s method is past criticism: her means with mezzo-staccato in ‘Marine’ was good. However the clear spotlight was ‘Being Beauteous’, a efficiency of the utmost sensitivity to the harmonies’ twists and turns. Bevan’s low register, too, is powerful (maybe most clearly proven in ‘Parade’, a tune that introduced with it a way of heady ecstasy in its later phases). The ninth and remaining tune, ‘Départ’, was replete with strains spun of the best vocal silk. A miracle of a efficiency.
Performing Beethoven quartets on bigger forces is hardly new: each Toscanini and Bernstein indulged (positively indulged within the latter case!). The piece chosen right here was the so-called ‘Heiliger Dankgesang’, (‘Holy Music of Thanks’), a quarter-hour span of the upmost magnificence. One of many keys to the music’s success is its fragility that additionally conveys a better spirituality; with an ensemble within the church acoustic right here, the entire felt considerably too cushioned. To compensate for this, the music ought to glow, a state by no means fairly achieved.
The live performance started with Three Miniatures from Water by Jonny Greenwood (a member of Radiohead). Courting from 2018, this features a pronounced use of drone, towards which piano provided what may be described as ‘droplets’ of sound and a solo violin meanders peacefully. All credit score to Eloisa-Fleur Thorn’s superbly formed solos and to pianist Kat Tinker’s well-placed arpeggiations, however one has to marvel concerning the musical worth of this piece. That is extra ambient music than anything, or maybe New Age meditation music, however in current firm alongside Britten and late Beethoven it felt fairly skinny. The 12 Ensemble has collaborated with Greenwood beforehand, acting on the Oscar-nominated movies Spencer and The Energy of the Canine. However this was by a way the weakest piece on the menu.
12 Ensemble is clearly a mannequin of excellence, and the efficiency of Les Illuminations with Mary Bevan will stay lengthy within the reminiscence.
Colin Clarke
Featured Picture: Soprano Mary Bevan
