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Church of St. John the Divine
April 17, 2011
At long last it has arrived: Victoria's very own professional, no compromises, full meal deal, baroque ensemble. And it was worth the wait. (Mind you, the ensemble included several ringers, including musicians from Vancouver and Washington State.)
The debut performance began with Bach's Orchestral Suite in b minor, BWV 1067, which was performed one to a part. The opening Ouverture began in a stately yet intimate fashion. In the quicker part, the flute of Soile Stratkauskas began to stand out: as I have had occasion to remark in previous reviews (e.g., http://www.islandnet.com/miv/reviews/r2010-08-28-joy.html) Ms. Stratkauskas is a formidably talented baroque flautist and she demonstrated her skills again on this occasion. She only got better as the Suite unfolded.
The Rondeau was tres French: elegant yet emotionally engaging. The Sarabande was suitably graceful. The Bour´e was energetic, almost frenetic, particularly in contrast to the two previous movements. The Polonaise gave Katrina Russell an opportunity to strut her stuff: the combination of flute, bassoon and harpsichord (David Stratkauskas' choice of the buff stop was a nice touch) was delicious. After the Minuet, the Bandinerie was a joyful sprint to the finish line. (I am pleased to report that the race ended in a dead heat.) One could not reasonably have hoped to hear a better reading of this piece. The composition is essentially chamber music and needs to be treated as such for the best results.
The concert continued with the aria "Ich folge dir gleichfalls", from the St. John Passion. Natalie Marcaccini gave a clean and poised performance, and displayed excellent diction. It was, perhaps, a little too careful: the sense of joyful abandonment did not emerge as clearly as it might have. Her singing was pleasingly framed by two flutes (the first flute part being taken by the distinguished Janet See), bassoon and organ.
On filed the St. John's Chamber Singers for "O Jesu Christ, meins Lebens Licht", BWV 118. Fifteen names were listed in the programme, but I only counted 14 choristers: almost exactly the number that Bach regarded as ideal for his church services. Occasionally, when reviewing amateur choirs, I must exercise a little discretion, but I can honestly say that my first impression of this choir was overwhelmingly positive. This is not your typical church choir: a good many members have degrees in music and it shows.
After the interval, everyone was back for Bach's Missa Brevis in A Major, BWV 234. From the first notes, one could only wonder why this lovely piece is not heard more often. The Kyrie is sunny, almost pastoral (with the pair of flutes reinforcing the Arcadian impression). At times the choir seemed a trifle underpowered, but the rather dry acoustics in St. John's did them no favours.
The Domine Deus gave Jonathan Adams his opportunity for a solo turn. Adams is off to the Royal Academy of Music in September and the talent that opened up this opportunity was evident. I thought, however, that he was, like some of the other soloists, a little too careful. Perhaps, however, the nature of the movement does not provide much opportunity (or an appropriate forum) for vocal display.
Eve Richardson in the Qui tollis peccata mundi, on the other hand, within the constraints of the subdued subject matter gave it a bit of welly. And to good effect. Shauna Yarnell, in the Quoniam tu solus, did a good job of capturing the spirit of this optimistic, lilting movement.
The Cum Sancto was given a dramatic treatment to provide a big finish to the evening. Paul Luchkow should be given credit for idiomatic and sensitive interpretations of each movement.
This was an evening not only to enjoy for itself, but for what it portends. The Victoria Baroque Players are a major addition to the Victoria musical scene. It is great to see David Stratkauskas reviving the fine tradition of choral singing at St. John the Divine. And it will be a pleasure to watch the careers of the young soloists. I look forward to more performance from these artists.
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