Tudor Choristers | … of Heaven and of Earth
19 September 2024, Camberwell, VIC
… of Heaven and of Earth .. is Music Director and Conductor Carlos del Cueto’s second concert with the much loved Tudor Choristers in the beautiful acoustic of St John’s Camberwell. The two concerts (the program is repeated on 25 September at St George’s Church in Malvern) are dedicated In Memoriam to David Sharp, a former chorister and friend of the choir.
The program is in three parts: a selection of sacred music ‘of Heaven’, and, ‘of Earth’ four of the Six Folksongs by Gustav Holst and five madrigals from Tudor England.
Musically, the program is varied and interesting, with the first section which follows the introductory “Let thy Merciful Ears” by Thomas Mudd demonstrating the development of early polyphony in three settings of the Ave Maria, being a Plainchant, and settings by Josquin des Prez and Robert Parsons.
Each was acquitted beautifully. The singing in one voice by the entire choir in the Plainchant took us to the very start of the western tradition (which if you sing you know is very difficult to do), followed by the more complex cascading lines of each verse in the des Prez with a fabulously heartful memento mei (remember me) at the end, through to the astounding complexity of the five parts of Robert Parsons’ setting. Well done Tudors!
It was a stroke of genius to slot in Bruckner’s “Locus Iste” which was contrasting but fit very well into the program even though it’s from a much later century. Just when I thought it couldn’t get better, there was the “O Nata lux” by Thomas Tallis, during which I really noticed the attention to detail that Carlos places on the text as well as the balance and blend of the parts.
We had 5 mins to recalibrate before the next two sections which brought us down from heaven and back into the earthly realm. Also I can see that Carlos del Cueto is a natural storyteller, both in terms of the narrative the works create on different levels – musically, thematically etc. – but also in his ability to bring the text and music together with the singers to breathe full expression into the music. It’s a beautiful thing to see people working together in a choir like this.
Brucker and Gustav Holst share a 150 year anniversary this year, which was the reason for the four songs from the Six Folksongs Op. 36. Having warmed up with the plainsong and polyphony, I enjoyed “There was a Tree” with its moments of unison singing and lovely word painting particularly on the word “below.”
Carlos demonstrated his storytelling prowess throughout the concert but especially in “I Lost My Love”, the tale of a maid in Bedlam and her sailor suiter, whose cruel parents – we are told – sent him to sea. He hastily returns to the shore to assure her of his love and the two are quickly married because, “I love my love because I know my love loves me!”
It was a journey that Carlos carried us all with him on, especially the choir who responded to every nuance of the text in a synergy with him as conductor. There were also dramatic moments in the other songs such as the poignant end of “I Sow’d the Seeds of Love” and the boisterous “Swansea Town” with humming instead of words in places and other fun devices.
The final third of the concert was a celebration of the Madrigal: Weelkes “Hark All Ye Lovely Saints Above” with all its fun fa la las, Thomas Morley’s “April is In My Mistress’ Face” and “Now is the Month of Maying”, the longing of Wilbye’s “Adieu Sweet Amaryllis” and Weelkes “Strike It Up Tabor” – and a big shout out to Pamela on the tambourine!
What a beautiful way to remember a former chorister and friend of the choir than with this exquisite program of music that was seriously fun and full of verve. From earth to heaven: Vale David Sharp.
