United Kingdom Three Choirs Competition [3] – Biles-Liddell, Weir, Elgar, Snider: Three Choirs Competition Refrain, Philharmonia Orchestra / Samuel Hudson (conductor). Worcester Cathedral, 29.7.2024. (JQ)
Cameron Biles-Liddell – Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr (2022)
Judith Weir – O Candy Spontaneous Earth (2021)
Elgar – Serenade for Strings, Op.20 (1892)
Sarah Kirkland Snider Mass for the Endangered (2018)
This Three Choirs Competition live performance provided an eclectic vary of items. Excluding the Elgar Serenade, I had by no means heard any of the works involved, so I took my seat in Worcester Cathedral with a way of anticipation.
Samual Hudson started with a brief work (about 12 minutes) for orchestra by the younger Welsh composer, Cameron Biles-Liddell. He’s based mostly in North Wales and I realized from his web site that his music ‘attracts considerably from the pure landscapes, facets of momentum, in addition to conveying his personal Welsh heritage and folklore by means of music’. The work we heard, Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr (The River within the Sky) was premiered in Wales in November 2022 and was receiving its first efficiency in England. The composer describes the work as ‘a set of three interrelated actions impressed by the nickname given to the aqueduct based mostly in Pontcysyllte, North Wales. In essence, I wished to discover how I may musically create a way of floating by means of stasis and movement, very similar to the water within the aqueduct flowing above the River Dee. As such, every motion flows immediately into the following, exploring a selected facet of the imagery of a River in The Sky. What connects the person actions is the melodic line that subtly weaves it approach by means of completely different contexts and moods representing how the river in flows from Pontcysyllte by means of North Wales and past’. Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr is scored for fairly modest forces comprising single woodwind, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion (1 participant), harp and strings.
I actually warmed to this piece. Within the first of the three actions the music is full of life and energetic. Below Hudson’s course, the Philharmonia performed it with crisp assault. There’s a lot happening on this music – dare I threat a watery pun by saying each on and underneath the floor? Nonetheless, this exercise, and particularly the rhythmic vitality, is rarely only for its personal sake. Seamlessly, Biles-Liddell moved into the central sluggish motion, which is the center of the work. The music is sluggish and considerably mysterious in nature. I should have been in punning temper as a result of I scribbled in my notes ‘nonetheless waters run deep’. I assumed this was very imaginative and evocative music. It achieved a quick, highly effective climax, however for essentially the most half the temper was tranquil. Fittingly for a Welsh composer, Biles-Liddell deployed the harp prominently and to evocative impact because the motion neared its shut. The ultimate motion evoked once more the daytime vitality of the river. Because the piece moved in direction of its conclusion the music grew to become dynamic and quick; the river was in full spate. Yr Afon Yn Yr Awyr is a assured, enticing and ingenious rating which Hudson and the Philharmonia performed very effectively certainly. I loved it very a lot and to evaluate from the nice and cozy reception given to the composer, who was current, so did the remainder of the viewers.
Additionally current was Dame Judith Weir, whose seventieth birthday is being marked by the Competition this week with the efficiency of a number of works. Tonight, we heard a reasonably latest piece for refrain and string orchestra, O Candy Spontaneous Earth. On this work, which performs for about quarter-hour, Weir set three poems by American poets; every poem, she says, ‘is concerning the Earth, and our expertise of residing on it’. I’ve admired lots of Weir’s items previously however I struggled considerably with this one. I feel partly this was as a result of the work opens with a setting of a poem O candy spontaneous by E. E. Cummings (1894-1962). I’ve by no means been capable of perceive Cummings’s poetry – the fault is mine, I’m positive – and so I discover it laborious to understand musical settings of his verse. Weir says that the poem ‘talks concerning the Earth’s persevering efforts to regenerate itself regardless of the depredations of its inhabitants’; I’ve to say that wasn’t apparent to me from studying it. Weir’s setting of the poem is purposeful and was strongly projected by the Competition Refrain. The longest motion is a setting of Peace on Earth by William Carlos Williams (1883-1963); this ‘speaks of the magnificent constellations of stars shining within the sky above us whereas we sleep peacefully’. There was heat within the music for the choir; their singing of every stanza was punctuated by fascinating orchestral interludes. Lastly, got here I cause, Earth is brief by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886). On this poem of three stanzas, Dickinson ‘ponders the brief time we truly spend on Earth, and what occurs afterwards’. Weir set these phrases as a sort of chorale which grew in energy because the motion unfolded till, by the third stanza, the tone was genuinely uplifting. Different works by Weir have stirred me extra previously than O Candy Spontaneous Earth. Nonetheless, her piece obtained a dedicated, superb efficiency from the Competition Refrain.
We had been on far more acquainted territory with Elgar’s Serenade for Strings. The piece was performed by a modest-sized string orchestra (6/6/4/3/2, I feel) and the scale of the ensemble produced big advantages by way of readability. The primary motion, ideally paced by Hudson, flowed very well; there was a pleasant spring within the rhythms. The ultimate motion, too, was fashionable and extrovert. It’s the central sluggish motion, although, which lies on the coronary heart of the Serenade. The efficiency was lovely; the taking part in had heat and affection. This can be a reasonably early work, courting from a number of years earlier than the mastery of ‘Enigma’ and Gerontius, however that is quintessential Elgar. It was testomony to the excellence of this efficiency that in it you can have heard a pin drop. This was an impressive efficiency of the Serenade; certainly, it was the best efficiency of something that I’ve heard thus far this week.
After the interval got here the signature work of the night, one which was presumably chosen as a result of its idea and design fitted with one of many principal themes of this yr’s Competition; within the phrases of Creative Director Samuel Hudson, ‘the pure world, at a time when the problem of preserving and defending our planet is related to us all’. We heard the UK premiere of Mass for the Endangered by the American composer, Sarah Kirkland Snider (b.1973). On this work, Snider mixed the textual content of the Latin Mass with poetry by her fellow American, Nathaniel Bellows who’s a author, visible artist, and musician. Kirkland described Bellows’ phrases as ‘authentic’; I’m not positive if meaning they had been written particularly for this venture however that might be the case. The composer stated this about her work: ‘Mass for the Endangered embodies a prayer for endangered animals and the imperiled [sic] environments through which they dwell… [it] appeals for parity, compassion, and safety, from a mindset — a malignance or apathy — that threatens to destroy the planet all of us are supposed to share.
This can be a substantial work and lasted some 50 minutes. It was conceived for SATB refrain and twelve devices, comprising single strings, 4 woodwinds, percussion (1 participant), piano and harp. For this efficiency, nonetheless, the string part had been elevated – I feel the identical variety of gamers took half as within the Elgar – although I couldn’t make sure if the woodwind part had been expanded; I feel not. This growth of the instrumental forces adopted the precedent set with Josph Fort’s decreased scoring of Holst’s The Cloud Messenger (evaluation right here) and I think it was executed for a similar pragmatic causes. Nonetheless, on this event I’m not positive that the thought labored as efficiently.
Snider begins with a Kyrie which mixes ‘Kyrie eleison’ with phrases by Bellows. The music opens quietly however it’s not lengthy earlier than there may be rising urgency. Right here, and elsewhere within the piece, I couldn’t at all times discern the phrases clearly, regardless that my seat was fairly close to the entrance; since readability of diction isn’t often a problem with the Competition Refrain, this can be a query of the character of Snider’s vocal writing. I jotted down the phrases ‘music of contrition’ in my notes. This was a strong opening to Mass for the Endangered. The top was notably efficient; the sopranos held a word for an awfully very long time whereas the orchestral accompaniment regularly pale into quiet fragments. Within the Gloria there aren’t any modern phrases; Snider units solely the standard Latin textual content. Her method to the Gloria is most uncommon and authentic. Her music is just not a traditional hymn of reward; as an alternative, the setting opens with an prolonged, quiet passage for sopranos (ultimately joined by the altos, I feel), accompanied simply by the harp. The harp half is fiercely unbiased of the vocal line and, in fact, appears to supply no assist to the singers (that’s only a assertion of truth, not a criticism). The vocal traces are lengthy and carolling. It appeared to me that right here Snider conveys not a lot reward as a way of marvel. Ultimately, the total choir is deployed, and the remainder of the orchestra, however their involvement is pretty transient; Snider then returns to the feminine voices and harp to finish the Gloria quietly. This can be a most fascinating and authentic motion
The third motion. ‘Alleluia’ units phrases by Bellows. Male voices are distinguished on this motion, singing in opposition to orchestral writing that’s quite jagged in nature. I discovered it laborious to discern the phrases, maybe as a result of the boys had been positioned on the rear of the choir. To be sincere, I didn’t take pleasure in this motion very a lot. If the Gloria used no modern phrases, nearly the reverse is true within the Credo. Right here, nearly all of the textual content is supplied by Bellows, although a fraction of the Credo textual content (generally in Latin, generally in English) seems infrequently. This fragment was, I feel, schematically necessary as a result of it was based mostly on the phrases ‘Et expecto’. I worry that this motion was the purpose within the work the place I parted firm with Snider. It’s an in depth motion, setting a considerable textual content by Bellows. His phrases, to be frank, are a litany of environmental and social justice aspirations. I don’t suppose anybody would severely argue with the concepts expressed by Bellows; I definitely wouldn’t. The issue is that there are far too many factors made within the textual content and Snider units the phrases to loud, emphatic music; that’s comprehensible, as she certainly wished to emphasize the significance of the emotions. Nonetheless, effectively earlier than the motion’s finish I felt I had been hit over the top; this was certainly a case the place much less would have meant far more. This was additionally the purpose after I felt that the choice to broaden Snider’s scoring was misjudged. Within the Holst piece the earlier night time it labored effectively as a result of Holst’s scoring is so usually delicate. Against this, Snider’s instrumental writing – for the strings particularly – is way stronger in profile (once more, a press release of truth, not a criticism) and the orchestra quite overwhelmed the singers at occasions, although the Competition Refrain provided energised, strongly dedicated singing.
Within the Sanctus/Benedictus motion, Snider set solely the phrases from the Mass. There was a lot joyful-sounding writing for the choir and the music usually had a lighter contact, which was a welcome distinction after the Credo. Within the Benedictus particularly there have been quite a lot of brief solo passages, taken by members of the Competition Refrain. The person singers had been valiant although it appeared to me that the writing usually put them underneath pressure. A solo voice – a stunning soprano line, very effectively sung – was heard in the beginning of the ultimate motion, the Agnus Dei. Right here, a lot of the textual content was by Bellows and Snider set his phrases to music that grew in depth, although there have been additionally lyrical passages; the alternation between lyricism and depth labored effectively. Snider introduced the work to an in depth in a temper of uneasy quiet, reflecting the apprehension we should all really feel for the state of our world and its future.
I actually wished to love Mass for the Endangered not least as a result of it addresses essential points. It contains some good and persuasive passages. Nonetheless, I felt that there was fairly a level of overkill at occasions within the modern textual content and the way in which that Snider set these phrases. The fashion of the music got here as a little bit of a shock. Snider’s biography contains press quotes about her music describing it as ‘rapturous’ and ‘ravishingly lovely’. There was little of that obvious to me in Mass for the Endangered although I readily acknowledge that I used to be listening to it for the very first time. The music struck me as a lot grittier than these press quotes steered; maybe, although, that displays the seriousness and urgency with which Snider views the problems which can be confronted in her Mass.
The standard of the efficiency appeared to me to be excessive; Hudson clearly believes within the rating and carried out it urgently. The viewers responded generously to the efficiency. I’m positive it’s an necessary rating nevertheless it didn’t transfer me as I had hoped it might. There’s a recording of the work on the Nonesuch label, which I’ve not heard; it’s by the ensemble Gallicantus carried out by Gabriel Crouch. I think that makes use of the composer’s authentic scoring; maybe I ought to give Mass for the Endangered one other strive.
John Quinn
