Sydney Chamber Choir, from the depths of Shade to the joy of Light

In the interest of full disclosure, I used to be a member of this choir when it was first formed as the Sydney University Chamber Choir in 1975. Coincidentally, born the same year was the composer Brooke Shelley, whose work commissioned by the choir received its world premier performance tonight.

The hymn (“A Safe Stronghold is our God”) is the quintessential Lutheran statement of Christian self assurance written by Luther himself. It is probably the best known hymn in the German canon. The middle baroque composer Tunder is little known today outside organist circles and this is the first vocal work of his I have heard in concert. The composition is certainly worthy to be in the choral repertoire and carries the surety of Luther’s text. The choir performed with balance and musical intelligence.

The Exequien, which was accompanied by positive organ only, is a German Requiem. Schütz would not have been unfamiliar with death, the Black Death was lingering on and being spread by solders returning from the battle fields of the Thirty Years war. Musically, movements flowed seamlessly into each other, making for a majestic unity. Choruses mostly alternate with solos and duets in this work. The soloists, drawn from the choir itself, performed capably. The whole work maintained an impressive rhythmic momentum. The tempi set by Sam Allchurch were lively for a requiem, but with the excellent diction of the choir, the text was clear and it made musical sense.

A delicately played organ interlude (presumably also by Schütz) ensured musical continuity while the choir rearranged into an antiphonal configuration; one choir on stage and the other in the organ gallery above. The final Nunc Dimitis (“Herr, nun lässest du deinen Diener“) was musically satisfying, but aurally the choirs were not significantly different in the vertical separation; perhaps a left-right split might have been more dramatic and impressive.

An instrument-only piece, La Bella Pastora (“The Beautiful Shepherdess”) by Johann Heinrich Schmelzer, was played by the Muffat Collective, featuring two solo violins and continuo. The violins were played by Matthew Greco and Rafael Font-Viera in a beautiful imitative style with ecstatic ornamentation. A musical delight.

We know Shelley’s work through her compositions often performed by the Choir of St James. The joyful work is filled with sumptuous harmonies. Interestingly it has the same name as the Bach motet later in the program.

This piece, which is quite unlike many of Rutter’s singable and popular works, draws its inspiration from four stained glass windows which commemorate the British composer Herbert Howells. Mysterious in atmosphere and again with sumptuous textures, one is easily transported to Gloucester Cathedral. It was a pleasure to hear the work.

This unaccompanied choral work was commissioned for the choir and is a world premier in this concert. It is beautiful and tranquil prayer that draws considerably on melodic elements in the Schütz Exequien, but also upon its grandeur. It is an inspiring work and will no doubt find its way into the sacred choral repertoire, quite aside from its pairing with the Schütz. Congratulations to both Brooke and the Chamber Choir.

This is one of Bach’s great motets and an appropriately light-filled work with which to finish the concert. It has a middle section of considerable restraint, which makes the jubilation upon the return all the more ecstatic. The choir’s clear enthusiasm and open throated singing, made this yet another moment of joy and a high point in the concert.

Overall, this was a dedicated performance by capable musicians leading us from the depths of Shade to the joy of Light. It is satisfying too that the choir continues to thrive 47 years later. As does Shelley! We look forward to hearing more of her works.