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Alix Goolden Performance Hall
July 31, 2010
The relocation of Nancy Argenta to Victoria a couple of years ago is among the very best things ever to happen to the Island music scene. Certainly the students the Conservatory could hardly hope to have a better singing instructor. And the general music-loving public definitely benefits, as Argenta exercises her considerable charm and attracts to Victoria, and joins in concert, some of the world's most distinguished performers of early music.
The first set of pieces consisted of the version of "Ich habe genug" from the Anna Magdalena Bach Notebook and "Willst du dein Herz mir schenken" from the same source, with movements from the French Suite in G Major interspersed.
Now, as it happens, I heard "Ich habe genug" only just yesterday. (See my review of yesterday's VSMF concert.) Last night I was not sold on the soprano's interpretation. This evening, in a performance of understated profundity, we heard just the right balance of resignation of this world and joyful anticipation of the next. Argenta provided a masterclass in how to render a text in music.
"Willst du dein" was a nice contrast. Argenta was by turns coy, bouncy and playful. It was always good fun.
The harpsichord interludes revealed Cummings to be a remarkable performer. The opening Allemande was given an elegant and spacious reading. The left hand of the Sarabande was played entirely on the more plangent upper register, the right hand on the sweeter lower register: an example of unfussy choices of registration, yet one that exploited the resources of the instrument. The playing was wonderfully relaxed. The final selection was a playfully rendered Gavotte.
Next Taylor took the stage for three of his signature folk songs: "I will give my love an apple," "Down by the sally gardens" and "O waly, waly." (He recorded them some years ago with lutenist Slyvain Bergeron for Dorian: DOR 90287. I expect that the recording is still available.) Simple in both conception and performance, these songs are nevertheless the highest art, going directly to the heart. Taylor's poignantly limpid readings were given appropriately transparent accompaniment on the harpsichord.
The succeeding work, Purcell's "Strike the viol" from his Ode for St. Cecelia's Day, was a case of now for something completely different: upbeat, bright and vigorous. The Purcell set continued with "Lost is my quiet." Here I was most struck by Taylor's wonderful rapport with the audience. It was as though he was singing to each person in the audience individually as he poured out strains of delightful melancholy.
"Music for a while" is one of Purcell's most famous songs, but perhaps one of the most misunderstood. It is actually a profoundly sad song. Only for a while, it tells us, will music beguile our cares. With his carefully controlled but passionate singing, Taylor perfectly captured the elusive note of ethereal misery.
Taylor and Argenta then joined forces for "My dearest, my fairest." This musical bonbon was given an appropriately playful outing. Taylor and Argenta clearly enjoy singing with each other.
Cummings contributed a Suite in C Major by Purcell, to which he added a Gigue, "because it is quite fun." The suite was hit for six, and the Gigue, as advertised, was about as much fun as you can pack into 45 seconds.
Purcell also opened the second half of the programme, with Argenta essaying "The blessed virgin's expostulation." This is a harrowing work, describing the incident when the young Jesus is separated from his mother. (He was subsequently found, if memory serves, arguing with sages in the temple.) Anyone has misplaced a child can appreciate this work. My own son, then age three, once disappeared for about 30 seconds at the Saanich Fair. In that half minute I am sure that my wife felt all of the nuances of despair, panic and frenzy that Argenta so artfully put on display in her performance this evening.
The rest of the evening was given over to old George Frideric. Cummings began the proceedings with three movements from Handel's Suite No. 7 in g minor: Sarabande, Gigue and Passacaille. I have to say that the boxwoods were given a rare old workout. Particularly noteworthy were the yearning Sarabande and the Passacaille. In this movement, Cummings improvised repeats on each section that were seamlessly integrated into the whole. It was really quite impressive.
The last piece was Handel's duet, "Tanti Strali". If I could bring only five minutes of Handel's music to a desert island this duet could well be my choice. And if I could get a recording of this evening's performance, this could well be the recording I would choose. Taken at a brisk pace, with a driving harpsichord nipping at the heals of the singers, this was five minutes of pure, distilled joy.
The evening concluded with the performers reprising "My dearest, my fairest", as Argenta said, "in case it wasn't silly enough the first time". It was certainly sillier the second time through, though more entertaining for all that.
This was a delightful evening of music making by performers of the very highest quality.
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