Oliver Knussen
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Never ones to shirk a challenge, the London Sinfonietta opted for the
second Proms season running to take a large scale 20th century vocal score head on,
making a refreshing break with tradition in their T-shirts and jeans as
they did so. Written for two vocal soloists, Henze's ambitious work concentrates on
themes of war, imprisonment and injustice, accompanied by an ensemble that
helps the cycle probe seldom-explored sound worlds, utilising a
cosmopolitan selection of styles.This is in response to the wide variety
of chosen texts, from Cuban and Black American poets to Brecht.
In an
extraordinary hour and a half of music we heard samba, swing, a waltz, a
Mahlerian funeral march, a sober throwback to the 19th century - styles all
too varied to describe adequately but somehow united by the composer, with
some extraordinary instrumentation at his disposal.
All were moulded into a coherent whole by Oliver Knussen,
making a rare appearance in London these days, and his team of cracking
instrumental soloists, some asked to play as many as five instruments as
the work's course unfolded.
However, problems arose when it came to the question of balance between
the vocalists and the ensemble. Christopher Gillett gave a committed
and often sensitive performance - his singing in the Richard W. Thomas poem
The Worker was intensely moving - but his voice was too often
overwhelmed by his accomplices. The Albert Hall acoustics are notorious in
their lack of sympathy for pieces of this scale, and with the tenor
frequently placed against a full ensemble his voice was nearly lost in
louder poems such as Electric Cop. Admittedly at this point the
audience were distracted by David Hockings donning boxing gloves for
his latest percussive trick with the metallophones, but the issue
frequently recurred.
To a lesser extent this problem affected Mary King, though her
scoring from Henze was more economical, and so there were plenty of chances
to admire her Sprechstimme and immaculate vocal control. A red feather
boa was her prop for Thoughts Of A Showgirl, appreciated by the
sprinkling of front row Prommers, while she reached impressive power in the
climax of Advice To A Lady. Screams, though, was too polite
when measured against the instrumental contributions.
Once again the Sinfonietta were beyond reproach. David Hockings did an
heroic job in what looked like a dedicated percussion laboratory, the brass
section stamped their feet in Ho Chi Minh's Prison Song, intoned
perfectly as accompaniment to Gillett in The Worker and popped
balloons in Electric Cop. The extraordinary instrumentation included wine
glasses, tape and mandolin, played by leader Clio Gould in addition
to violin and viola!
One of the Proms' principal strengths is in the opportunities offered
for first time listening, and anyone doing so with this eye popping music
will not have been disappointed. Despite reservations of the venue's
suitability, the full range of Voices was fully delivered.
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