November 27, 2006
Programme:
O Nata Lux - Morten Lauridsen
Sicut Cervus - GP da Palestrina
Agnus Dei - Samuel Barber
Abendlied - Josef Rheinberger
This Marriage - Eric Whitacre
Missa Tiburtina - Giles Swayne
Ubi Caritas - Maurice Duruflé
I was impressed to learn that Concentio is a group of university-aged singers who present their concerts entirely under their own steam. Plus, it's a volunteer choir; members aren't just going through the motions to fulfill their degree. As the ensemble entered the church'ssanctuary I thought, 'They're young, motivated and dig choral music. What could be cooler than that?'O Nata Lux - Morten Lauridsen
Sicut Cervus - GP da Palestrina
Agnus Dei - Samuel Barber
Abendlied - Josef Rheinberger
This Marriage - Eric Whitacre
Missa Tiburtina - Giles Swayne
Ubi Caritas - Maurice Duruflé
For the most part the programmatic choices made sense considering Concentio's mission to bring sacred music to the masses. They certainly covered a lot of ground with works spanning the 16th through to the 21st centuries. Nearly every piece was a textbook example of harmonic and/or rhythmic 'ear candy' that choral junkies totally go for.
The ensemble's biggest problem is the bane of any choir: lack of blend. Each voice part had at least one member whose voice stuck out from the rest. What's more the different sections didn't always work together. This was most evident in the imprecise Benedictus section of Missa Tiburtina, a rhythmic and harmonic workout that called for them to 'complete each other's sentences' as it were.
There also seemed to be a lack of cohesive understanding of what they were trying to accomplish musically as a group. Members seemed to concentrate on hitting notes or achieving a juicy harmonic effect more than on phrasing or communicating the text. The exception was Eric Whitacre's This Marriage. Though probably due to its being in English, here the group fully comprehended how to get the work across, and it affected the performance greatly.
Music Director Adam Boniface is dynamic and passionate, perhaps a bit more than his choir which isn't uncommon. If asked for advice, I would suggest that he spend more time on individual vocal technique. As any 'keen' singer knows, there is more than one way to approach a high (or low) note or phrase, and it's his job to help his choir do it effectively and in a healthy way.
Want your chance to see Concentio perform? Rumor has it they'll be in Trafalgar Square on the 15th of December from 8-9 p.m.