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Church of St. John the Divine
June 11, 2011
If one conceives of summer music the way one conceives of summer movies, then the Sicilienne from Joseph Bodin de Boismortier's Op. 91, No. 1 is the perfect way to begin a programme advertised as Early Summer Music. Light to the point of being fluffy, Boismortier's movement has the charm of a Meg Ryan vehicle. Stratkauskas and Bagan rose to the occasion with perfectly Gallic elegance. In contrast, the succeeding movement, marked Gayment, was flamboyant: in the hands of these musicians, it was more Angelina Jolie than Meg Ryan.
The programme continued with more in the French classique vein with two selections from Les Pieces de Clavecin avec Voix ou Violon, Op. 5 by Jean Joseph de Mondonville. Mondonville is not a household name, even in early music circles. (I have a total of about two CDs devoted to his music - some symphonies and few cantatas - and I am in the innermost circles.) Still, this music is a genuine discovery. At least in the hands of these musicians, it is positively delightful and deserving of much more regular performance. (For what was probably the previous time Mondonville was heard in Victoria see this review by Martin Monkman.
The first two selections were Paratum cor meum, Deus and Laudate Dominum. In the former, Washeim captured perfectly the sense of calm resignation to the divine will. The singing was complemented by haunting flute playing and a keyboard performance of the first order. The Laudate was similarly successful but the mood shifted to joyful and the tempo to brisk. Here I was struck by the way the original chant melody was still clearly audible. French music of the early eighteenth century does not have to be insipid, as it often is in the hands of lesser musicians.
Next was Bagan's solo turn. Even before he essayed Handel's Suite for Harpsichord in F Major, HWV 427, it was apparent that he is a rising star of Canadian early music. He can tickle the boxwoods with the best of them. The opening adagio was thoughtful and reflective, the succeeding allegro energetic. The second adagio was given a nicely ambiguous ending, while the concluding movement (Adagio-fuga) was triumphant in a satisfyingly Handelian manner.
More Handel ensued, with four of his Nine German Arias. As noted in the programme, it is not known when or for what occasion Handel wrote these lovely miniatures. I don't think, however, that there is really much of a mystery here. Handel likely met the poet Heinrich Brockes in Hanover. In any case, his devotional poetry struck a chord with the pietistic Handel. There can be little doubt that Handel composed these pieces for his own use, to be played with a few intimate friends.
"Flammende Rose" can sometimes be a little drippy, but this evening it was performed with an upbeat tempo that avoided any hint of bathos. The singing was clear, the diction excellent and (I was assured by some speakers of German) the pronunciation flawless. Washeim received excellent support from her colleagues. The flute sounded like an extension of the organ, as everything blended together perfectly.
"Suße Stille" was appropriately gentle, but again Washeim steered well clear of sappiness. "In den angenehmen Büschen" was given a bright, confident and brisk reading while "Meine Seele" was joyful. The repeated "alles lacht" (everything laughs) brought a smile to my face, the impression of the music reinforced by the happy demeanour of Washeim.
No one will mistake Bach's Sonata in e minor for flute and b.c., BWV 1034 for summer music, if summer music is like summer cinema. It is a profound work and one of the highlights of Bach's chamber music output. Stratkauskas and Bagan gave a masterful performance. I was struck by Bagan's intelligent and effective choices of registration, as he utilized the resources of the harpsichord. The movements were nicely contrasted: the delicacy of the second adagio, for example, was succeeded by the final, almost headlong, allegro with pleasingly angular keyboard playing.
Next was a little more Bach: the recitative "Er hat uns allen wohl getan" and the aria "Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben" from the St. Matthew Passion. The flute, in baroque music, is usually associated with amorous shepherds, but in this context it is used to express divine love as it accompanies the words “For love my Saviour is now dying.” Stratkauskas gave a beautifully yearning performance, which was combined with some lovely singing and atmospheric organ playing.
Perhaps the highlight of the evening was the concluding two selections from Mondonville's Op. 5: Benefac, Domine and Protector meusi. The second of these pieces was particularly striking as Washeim kicked into high gear with a dramatic performance fully as thrilling as an Alexandre Burrows Stanley Cup overtime goal. Nothing could be better calculated to send the audience home with smiles on their faces (except, perhaps, a Canucks overtime goal tomorrow night).
If you haven't been down to St. John's to hear Stratkauskas and friends, you are missing first-rate music. The coming season of her Victoria Baroque Players was announced this evening. Keep abreast of their performances via www.facebook.com/victoria.baroque and www.soile.net.
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