Consort 8 | The English Nightingale
with Guest Artist Hans-Dieter Michatz (recorder)
Saturday August 12, 2023, St Paul’s Burwood, NSW
On a night when most Australians were glued to the progress of the Matilda’s vs France FIFA World Cup match, it is testament to the drawing power of Consort 8 and Hans-Dieter Michatz that St Paul’s Burwood saw its usual good turnout for a feast of Renaissance music. And feast it was indeed! Ten performers, who between them played exquisitely on five recorders, five viols, cello, lute, and theorbo, with Tim Chung counter-tenor in his usual fine form and doubling on percussion as needed. And the star of the show, Hans-Dieter Mikhatz on various recorders. Hans-Dieter has been a towering figure in the Australian historically-informed performance scene, playing both flute and recorder. Many in the professional ranks today can point to his influential teaching and coaching, and his CDs are acclaimed. He recently announced his impending retirement from teaching and performing. Consort 8 is to be congratulated for taking this marvellous opportunity to showcase his consummate skill on the recorder as well as to pay tribute to his contribution to the recorder scene.
The evening’s program (supported by extensive and informative program notes) ranged from the 15th to 17th century music, whether for the Court, melancholy lovers, or a bit of weekend dancing. Michatz’s performance demonstrated what an amazing player he is of that very underestimated musical instrument, the recorder (except by those who have tried to master it. I should declare my vested interest here – both as a recorder player and someone who has benefited from his teaching). Forget those tired school recorder jokes – recorders were once cherished instruments that helped define the sound of Renaissance music which places the recorder front and centre, as we saw on Saturday night. In other words, you can’t have Renaissance music without recorders!
The first selection included three pieces by none other than that famous British royal, Henry VIII. Seems like he enjoyed collecting recorders even more than wives – he owned close to 80 recorders and composed more than 30 pieces for performance at his Court. The three we were treated to, with Tim Chung singing the first two, were on the King’s favourite subject – women, love, courtship.
These were followed by an intriguing selection linked to the title of the program – the first was Fowles in the Frith, a 13th century piece by an unknown composer, arranged by Brian Kogler, a well-known Sydney composer (and professional cartoonist). We were then treated to one of the highlights of the evening – The English Nightengale by 17th century composer and recorder player Jacob van Eyck from Holland. Michatz gave us a master-class in how to play van Eyck, a composer known for writing challenging improvisations on a simple melodic line, incorporating rapid combinations of notes, and amazing flourishes of sound. Michatz’s recorder beautifully imitated the glorious sounds of the nightingale, singing and calling, flitting and chirping. As an aside, one should note that the blind van Eyck not only composed the largest work for a solo wind instrument in European history, but he also invented the modern carillon.
I liked the musical interlude at the midpoint of the first half of the concert when the music turned to Courtly dances by Antony Holborne, composing at the time of Elizabeth 1. He was one of the most acclaimed and prolific dance composers of the period, and about three-quarters of his 150 works are dances, many of them surviving in up to four different arrangements. Although these compositions were intended for listening rather than dancing, they did have my toe tapping a few times. The stately Pavane opened the four-item selection, with one tenor and four bass recorders as well as the lute (a favourite instrument of Holborne), followed by a Galliard. The two Almaines were bright and lively.
Hans-Dieter played another piece by van Eyck later in the first half – Daphne the most beautiful maiden. This began with a recognisable line, played slowly on soprano recorder, accompanied by the bass viol. As the recorder line grew faster and more virtuosic, the remaining viols and lute joined the accompaniment. One could feel the energy of the piece increasing, and the speed seemed to be about four times that of the opening until it ended with a great flourish and enthusiastic applause from the audience. The recorder players in the audience looked at each other in amazement at such effortless playing.
I also really enjoyed the Scottish flavour of some of the pieces. Who knew that viols and recorders could be skilfully combined to imitate the bagpipes! The 16th century Gregor’s Lament by Marion Campbell combined two bass viols playing long slow-bowed deep notes that were reminiscent of the drone of bagpipes, while the four recorder players provided the slow and sorrowful lament over the top. This was followed by Geminiani’s Lady Anne Bothwell’s Lament, inspired by traditional Scottish music. Michatz played the lower pitched tenor recorder, accompanied beautifully by Cathy Upex on cello … even when the variations were at a much faster speed (including some rapid and virtuosic passages for the cello) the ballad about Lady Anne and child being deserted by her husband remained elegant and melancholic in nature.
No Renaissance program would be complete without a John Dowland item. No one, of course, can do melancholy better than Dowland who made a career out of it. Tim Chung sang his Flow My Tears and Now O Now I Needs Must Part with power and conviction. His voice is perfectly suited to this music genre and always adds a special flavour to Consort 8 performances.
Near the end of the evening, we were treated to another piece with a definite Scottish flavour. An Cluin Thu Mi Mo Nighean with bass viols again providing the drone. This was followed by Sydney composer Clive Lane’s arrangement of the anonymous 17th century Scottish lament ‘Barbara Allen’ sung by Tim Chung and accompanied by viols and lute. I’m sure Dowland would have loved the chance to arrange this lament if it had been around in his time!
The evening closed out with two brackets that showcased the talents of Consort 8 and their guest artist Hans-Dieter Michatz. Geminiani’s Old Bob Morrice and Sleepy Body were played brilliantly by Michatz, supported by theorbo and cello. In the second bracket, comprising three pieces by Brade (late 16th century), he joined the recorders standing behind the viols, and with Tim Chung on percussion Consort 8 took us on a joyful and toe-tapping close to a great night.
Consort 8 are next performing at 6pm on Saturday 2 December in St Pauls Anglican Church Burwood – their annual Music for Advent and Christmas is not to be missed!
Photo credit: Paul Porteous
