Encircled by the magnificent interior of Christ Church Cathedral, where music has been celebrated for over 1,000 years. I couldn’t help but feel being a part of its history for this performance. It's the final day of the Music at Oxford’s Arvo Pärt Festival, Words (Un) spoken.
The silence is broken by the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet’s rendition of Bach’s Canzona BWV 588, within seconds the audience are transported to some other sphere. This was my first introduction to the quartet. They had warmed up the audience, ready to be swept in to the UK premiere of van Zoelen’s rendition of Es sang vor langen jahren. I observed members of the audience sat with their eyes closed, swaying in unison to the count of the music. The familiar sound of Pärt almost soothing them as a lullaby would a baby.
An original programme note by Venetia Bridges described the performances to feature a ‘kaleidoscopic juxtaposition of saxophones and choir'. Some may have been confused into thinking this might be a bad jazzed up play on Pärt, it wasn't. A kaleidoscope features reflections and produces changing patterns, this was certainly done with the production changing from spoken word the choir, to unspoken the saxophone and utilising the Cathedral’s space. We were pleasantly surprised to be thrown in a different direction of the Cathedral above where the choral voices sung out around the playing organ.
My attention was drawn towards conductor – Steven Grahl. He conducted with both passion and authority, but with a charm and elegance. I couldn’t help but smile as I continued to watch him command both Schola Cantorum and Raschèr Saxophone Quartet.
A lady in the audience whispered in a gasp ‘this is Pärt’ as Summa, is delivered within its structured composition with dramatic feeling, you couldn’t not be stirred by and is also one of my favourites along with Spiegel im Spiegel.
We were privileged to be hearing van Zoelen’s World Premiere of An den wassern zu babel and UK premiere of Vater Unser. Van Zoelen not only performed for Pärt but also consulted with him over the new adaptations. To be hearing music Pärt himself was involved with and changed some notes in, is incredible. For van Zoelen these new versions of Pärt’s compositions were ‘not merely adaptations, but rather translations into the language of saxophone’, which he has masterfully translated.
Music created a space tonight, to rest, appreciate, listen and be still. The voices of Schola Cantorum created this softness along with the Raschèr Saxophone Quartet, which blended harmoniously. This enchanting singing coupled by the magical brilliance of the Cathedral had made for a memorable performance. For me Raschèr Saxophone Quartet stood out and looking at their global schedule I am grateful I got the opportunity to hear them tonight.
Left in the darkness of the Cathedral as both the night and performance drew to a close, fittingly with Pärt’s Da Pacem Domine. A universal prayer of peace for the pain and suffering of mankind. Pärt’s final ‘un spoken word’ of light in a current time of uncertainty, expresses the strong belief God is the only true protection.
On this message the performance concluded. D.C. al Fine