The Requiem by Gabriel Fauré with Works by Barber, Hindemith and Suk: Wednesday November 11, 2009

Cathedral Series: Orchestra London

by Brian Hay

The program was set to commemorate Remembrance Day so it was a sombre one. There was a happy surprise at the outset though. Orchestra London gave a stunning rendition of our National Anthem. They played it without any ornamentation and reminded everyone of a just what a good piece of music it really is. The audience responded by joining in.

The orchestra also established a bond of trust with their performance of "O' Canada". The audience didn't seem to be familiar with most of the pieces on the program but after that rendition of "O' Canada" everyone was receptive. The rewards were worth it. The "Meditation on the Saint Wenceslas Chorale" (by Joseph Suk) was filled with musical tension. At one point the strings sounded as if they were truly crying out in anguish. Cellist Christine Newland delivered some wonderful playing during the "Trauermusik" by Paul Hindemith and throughout the Élégie" by Gabriel Fauré. The "Élégie itself had some passages that were truly haunting. It also featured some fabulous work from the Wind and Brass sections.

Their performance of the Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber was a revelation. The textures of the string instruments came out in a way that I've never heard. Barber seems to have woven a tapestry of intertwining tones. There was a slight but sparkling separation between the instruments came through clearly. It was a delight to the ears. This is yet another good argument for hearing music performed live. Recordings don't often highlight that sort of subtlety well. This was the only work on the program that I knew reasonably well and that facet of the performance was captivating.

The second half featured a lovely performance of Fauré's Requiem. The orchestra, under Maestro Pietraroia, captured the dynamics of the piece beautifully. The gentle and lyrical segments of the work flowed easily. The dramatic and more overtly powerful segments were delivered with a flourish. Some fabulous work from the Brass players shone during these moments. The musical balance between orchestral sections was exceptional throughout. The piece also has a fairly strong part the organ. Fauré himself was a Church Organist and I couldn't help but wonder if he wrote it that way to make sure he'd have plenty to do whenever he was involved in a performance of it.

The vocal parts of the work were stunning. Amber Cunningham delivered a beautiful rendition of the "Pie Jesu". I'd love to hear her again. Baritone Christopher Dunham did excellent work during the "Libera me" and the "In Paradisum". The singing from Orchestra London's Chamber Choir was sublime. This was the first time I've heard them in this type of setting and saying they made an impression is an understatement. Their performance was filled with the purest joy that can only come from singing a great work beautifully. With eyes closed it was easy to imagine that these luscious strains were coming from a chorus of Angels. *

This was an evening of surprises. It's good that a group can steer clear of the tried and true occasionally. It's even better when they do a good job of it. Orchestra London did that. It's true that I wasn't really familiar with the pieces this time around but it's not hard to tell when a piece of music is being played well.

One only has to pay attention to the feelings it evokes. It was a splendid concert.

* Since writing this review I've been informed that the man who guides the choir through the music is Mark Payne. Not enough can be said about the job he does. To the individual who took the time to write and provide that information; thank you very much. It was much appreciated.

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