This once only performance at the Verbrugghen Hall in the Sydney Conservatorium can thankfully be heard online. THE HUMAN SPIRIT is available as a digital concert on Thursday, September 28, at 7:30PM (details below).
The term ‘chamber’ is a tad understating the group because there are 31 singers accompanied by pianist Jem Harding. The conductor of all these dedicated artists is Sam Allchurch. The Verbrugghen Hall is clearly a big enough ‘chamber’ for these musicians. The Hall’s wonderful acoustics and classical ambience was the perfect setting for this concert.
The opening was Missa Rigensis (Riga Mass) a ‘Kyrie’ and a ‘Gloria’ by contemporary Latvian composer Uģis Prauliņš. Special mention to soprano soloist Ria Andriani whose voice blended beautifully with the choristers.
Two pieces were works commissioned by the Sydney Chamber Choir: Ella Macens’ ‘When the World Closes its Eyes’, based on the Latvian song of national resistance; and, Elizabeth Younan’s ‘Hope’, a world premiere. Anthony Pitts’ ‘Credo’ from his ‘Missa Unitatis’, the most complex of the Catholic mass texts, completed the central section of the concert.
The Choir formed a circle around the conductor for one of the works, with eight or so having their backs to the audience. For another, the choir formed a horseshoe ‘U’. This re-configuring worked well for the sound value, but not particularly for the visual aspect. The circle configuration was particularly distracting.
The final work was contemporary Australian Joseph Twist’s compositions for each of eight famous Australian poets, including Banjo Paterson, Michael Leunig and Oodgeroo Noonuccal. Twist has gentrified and elite-ified these wonderful bush poems. For some in the audience, there was little bushiness or wilderness in the compositions. It was all quite sedate. What would Banjo have thought of them? Perhaps he would have loved this interpretation.
Most of the audience was delighted by the Choir’s interpretation of The Human Spirit. All in all, a pleasant concert. Do listen to it on Thursday night.
Tickets to the digital concert are AUD$24.00 and available at : https://www.australiandigitalconcerthall.com/#/home