Easter Concert: Windfire Choir – Sunday 24th March, 2024

Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, Geelong

Frank De Rosso, Musical Director of Music at the Basilica, once again showed his mastery in weaving a concert program to mark a special time of the liturgical year,  and his flair for using the spaces of the Basilica to great advantage.  I also complement Frank on his choice of instrumental and vocal soloists for this exacting program.  

The concert on Palm Sunday, marked the Passion of Christ.  The music reflected this sacred theme, beginning with Meditations on the Seven Last Words of Christ for violin (Philip Healey) and organ (Frank De Rosso), interspersed with sections of the poem The Seven Last Words of Christ, by Canadian/American poet Mark Strand.  Healey and De Rosso presented the music from the organ loft, with the reader standing at the front of the chancel.  The alternation of music and spoken word was most moving.  The poem’s text is a reflection on Christ’s passion and was read with great meaning by Helen Seymour. 

Two preludes for solo harp followed, played by Laura Tanata.  Titled The Angel of Death Dances at Golgotha and The Sorrow of Mary, Mother of Jesus, are by contemporary American composer, James Scaler. 

The final work before interval was an exquisite performance of César Franck’s Panis Angelicus, with soprano soloist, Zinaida Campigli, Miranda Brockman (cello), Laura Tanata (harp) and Frank De Rosso (organ).  Zinaida Campigli is who is a Choral Scholar with the Windfire Choir. 

The main works on to program were the ever-popular Fauré Requiem conducted by Joseph Hie, performed by Windfire Choir, a chamber orchestra and soloists, interpolated with Requiem for solo cello by Peter Sculthorpe. 

Fauré’s Requiem was originally for scored a chamber orchestra of lower strings, harp, organ with a violin soloist used only in the Sanctus, played most beautifully in this performance by Philip Healey.  The instrumentation for this performance was close to that of the original performance with the addition of horns, and no timpani.  The use of lower pitched instruments gives a gentle calm effect, with the higher melodic lines provided by the solo violin, solo soprano in Pie Jesu and tenors and sopranos of the choir.   The soloists were Phillipa McQuinn (soprano), who sang Pie Jesu with a clear fluid line, and Manfred Pohlenz (bass) whose rich baritone was especially moving in Libera me.  The final chorus, In Paradisum, which features the harp and a soaring unison soprano line, was a most fitting end to this concert.  The sopranos of Windfire Choir had a lovely warmth of tone. 

Sculthorpe’s Requiem for solo cello is a most demanding piece.  Miranda Brockman’s playing was superb – peerless technique supporting her maturity of musical understanding.  I hope to hear her play Requiem again, as a continuous work, without interruption. 

The concert was a most fitting reflection on the Passion at the start of Holy Week. 

Image: Music at the Basilica

Windfire Choir Easter Concert: 24th March, 2024

Tickets: Trybooking

Petite Messe Solennelle: Rossini – Sunday 26th March, 2023

Rossini’s Little Solemn Mass is neither little, not solemn.  St Paul’s Geelong was the venue for a performance by Windfire Choir, with soloists, conducted by Joseph Hie.  While the original instrumentation is for two pianos and harmonium, this performance featured one piano and chamber organ played respectively by Sonoka Miyaki and Frank De Rosso. 

The ‘little’ of the title clearly refers to Rossini’s chosen performance group – originally a chorus of 8 voices with four soloists.  The work is over 80 minutes in duration, and very dramatic and sometimes whimsical in form. 

JosephHie showed full control of his forces, without any excess gestures, allowing the audience to focus fully on the music.  The 35 voices of the choir demonstrated thorough understanding of the operatic style and especially shone in the a cappella passages. 

The soloists’ ensemble singing was assured and well-blended, despite the quite different vocal timbre of each singer.  Emma-Mae Rufatt sang with crystal clarity with beautifully nuanced singing in her two solos.  Mezzo-soprano Danielle O’Keefe has a warm rich tone, and the strength to soar above the fully choir singing fortissimo in the final movement.  Tenor Lyndon Green clearly enjoyed the comic-opera style of the Domino Deus, with it’s almost vamped piano part.  Despite this, the tenor line is particularly operatic and Green sang with good tone a clear line.  Baritone Michael Lampard’s rich deep voice underpinned the ensemble passages and came to the fore in dramatic and operatic ‘Quonium’. 

Of particular note was the fine playing of Sonoka Miyake on the piano.  This challenging part takes the place given to an orchestra or large Church organ in most masses, and is often the sole instrument underpinning the work.  Miyake showed a complete range of dynamics and a beautiful touch. 

Rossini’s Petite Messe Solennelle is an extended piece of concert-length, small only in its forces, not its impact.  Frank De Rosso OAM, Artistic Director of Music at the Basilica, is to be congratulated for allowing Geelong audiences to share this most interesting work. 

Presented by Music at the Basilica

St John Passion: Windfire Festival opening concert – Friday, 7th October, 2022

Photo: Windfire Festival

Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, Geelong

J.S. Bach – St John Passion, presented by the Music at the Basilica, with the combined voices of the Windfire Chamber Choir and Geelong Chorale, Orchestra and soloists conducted by Joseph Hie. St Mary’s Basilica, October 8 2022

Bach’s first setting of the Passion of Christ, based on the Gospel of St John, was written four hundred years ago, and depicts a story over two thousand years old. 

The Passion recounts the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ and is a foundation stone of the Christian religion.  For those listening to the work in isolation, there is little hint that there is more to this story – the ultimate climax of Easter’s resurrection.  

This performance was the opening concert in the 2022 Windfire Festival.  After two years of pandemic, the festival returns with ten days of concerts.  The Windfire Festival is presented by Music at the Basilica and directed by Frank De Rosso. 

This performance of the St John Passion was conducted by Joseph Hie and performed a combined chorus of the Windfire Choir and the Geelong Chorale, and the Windfire Orchestra, with soloists. 

From the first ominous chords of the opening chorus ‘Herr, unser Herrscher’ (‘Lord, thou our Master’), there is a sense of impending doom.  A bass pulse underlies each bar, rising and falling as the purpose of the work is outlined – to tell a key narrative to those attending a service on Good Friday.  While the work was originally written as part of the liturgy, modern performances are almost always performed in concert.  This allows the full drama of the work to shine. 

Joseph Hie, conductor, had a sure control of his forces.  As a chorister himself, Joseph appears to have an instinctive talent for bringing out every nuance from the choir.  The fifty-strong chorus sang the challenging work with conviction.  It is an extremely difficult task to move emotionally from a howling mob, baying for the death of Jesus, to become Christians, commenting with compassion, sorrow and faith, on this horrific story of politics, power and ultimate crucifixion.  

The story is narrated by The Evangelist, sung here by Robert Mcfarlane.  Bach’s recitative setting is dramatic.  Mcfarlane has a consummate skill for this, word-painting the text from the softest falsetto to declamatory fortissimo, always in control, with Rhys Boak (organ) and Edi Cardingley (cello) providing a flawless continuo. 

Adrian Tamburini was a convincing Jesus, whose commanding presence and superb bass voice dominated the action.   Other characters who appear in first person are Pontius Pilate, Peter, a maid and a servant.  These were performed by the soloists – including baritone Tom Healey who sang Pilate, while also joining the bass line of the chorus. 

The solo arias, like the chorales sung by the chorus, comment and reflect on the action.  Dannielle O’Keefe sang the alto arias with a clarity and conviction.   It was refreshing to hear a woman singing this part – especially in a work dominated by the male perspective.  Her two arias were for me a highlight of this performance.  Lee Abrahmson’s rich soprano and soaring line gave a glorious warmth to the soprano arias – demonstrating a versitility equally at home singing Bach or Wagner.

Henry Choo sang the tenor arias with clarity and a lovely vocal line.  Of particular note was the first aria.  This is a fine example of Bach’s use of small forces for effect.  Two violas and continuo accompany the tenor as he reflects that Christ’s suffering as a sign of God’s grace. 

Other examples of Bach’s instrumental economy abound in this work.  While the instruments may be considered as accompaniment, such compositions are really equal partnerships between players and voices.  With limited rehearsal time, the musicians must form a bond as strong as those of a string quartet (who may have the luxury of many hours working together).  Joseph Hie’s leadership was vital.  In Windfire’s performance, technique became incidental as the tragedy unfolded over two short hours.   

Bach’s music is timeless.  The story this passion recounts is as fresh and relevant in our strife-riven times as it was two thousand years ago.  One is left to wonder whether humanity has moved forward at all over these millennia. 

The Windfire Festival continues over the next week.  Information and tickets are available from Music at the Basilica. 

Helen Lyth

César Franck and his Students – Windfire Chamber Choir: Friday, November 22nd, 2019

St Paul’s Anglican Church, La Trobe Terrace, Geelong

St Paul’s was the perfect venue for this concert of French romantic music, featuring the music of César Franck, with additional music from eight composers, all of whom had studied with Franck.  Presented by the thirty-five voice Windfire Chamber Choir and conducted by Rick Prakhoff, the choir’s regular conductor, there were also instrumental and vocal soloists.

César Franck’s Mass in C Op. 12 underpinned the program, with the parts of the mass interspersed with other works.  In this performance, the choir, and soloists Teresa Duddy and Tom Healey were supported by Frank De Rosso – organ, Jacinta Dennett – harp and Timmothy Oborne – cello.  The work did not suffer from being separated into discrete movements (as it would have been in a liturgical performance).  The choir revelled in the acoustic that allows for pin-drop pianissimo and resounding forte.  Despite the demanding tessitura of the soprano line, the tone was warm and assured.  Teresa Duddy, soprano and Tom Healey, baritone enhanced the performance with beautiful and sensitive singing.

Teresa Duddy featured in the program, singing artsongs by Charles Bordes, Vincent D’Indy, Henry Duparc and Lekau, and also as soloist in the mass and in César Franck’s Panis Angelicus (which Franck originally set as a movement in his Mass in A) and his setting of Ave Maria.  Duddy’s limpid soprano is perfect for French music, her diction clear as she negotiated the soaring phrases of this most romantic music.

Teresa Duffy – soprano and Sonoka Miyake – piano

Cellist Timmothy Oborne played Ernest Chausson’s Piece op, 39 with Sonoka Miyake, accompanying on the piano.  Chausson’s emotional and, at times, tormented piece,  showed off Oborne’s technical and expressive skills to perfection.

Timmothy Oborne

Sonoka Miyake is an admirable accompanist.  Throughout the concert, her playing, which, in this concert, was more of a partnership than mere accompaniment, demonstrated her complete rapport with the artists lucky enough to work with her.  The audience were treated to her solo performance of Joseph Ropartz’s Nocturne during the second half of the program.

Sonoka Miyake

A setting of Tantum Ergo by César Franck, ended the first half of the program.  Tom Healey was the baritone soloist with the choir and organ, singing the contemplative music with great sensitivity and a beautifully controlled vocal line.

Tom Healey

French romantic music is admirably suited to the flute and harp.  The program resumed after interval with Les Oiseaux, by Ernest Chausson, presented by Brighid Mantelli, flute and Jacinta Dennett, harp.  The flute emulates birdsong, and and the upward arpeggios of the harp and the lyrical flute theme are a musical picture of a bird in flight.  This was a most beautiful performance.

Brighid Mantella – Flute, Jacinta Dennett – Harp

The concert concluded with the Agnus Dei of Franck’s Mass in A, a most satisfying and gentle conclusion to a concert of rarely heard musical gems.

Over the years Geelong audiences have become used to Frank De Rosso, Director of Music at the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, presenting little-known music for the delight of Geelong audiences.  For this program of French romantic music, focusing on the music of César Franck and composers who studied with him, the choice of repertoire, soloists and venue (St Pauls) was inspired.  Music at the Basilica is now a firmly established bastion of the Geelong music scene.

See the Music at the Basilica website for details of the Advent organ series being held every Monday until Christmas.

Windfire conducted by Rick Prakhoff

From the final rehearsal

Jacinta Dennett

Rick Prakhoff

Frank De Rosso – organ and Director, Music at the Basilica

Timmothy Oborne

Windfire Chamber Choir returns in 2020, on Friday March 27^th at 8.00pm at St Mary’s Basilica, with a concert of which the main work is The Seven Last Words of Christ by Theodore Dubois.

Sound the Trumpet: The Geelong Chorale – Friday, 10th May, 2019

Windfire Festival 2019 – Concert 1

Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, Geelong

The Geelong Chorale presented this opening concert, with the assistance of brass quartet brass and organ.  The Chorale was directed by Allister Cox OAM.  The brass quartet comprised Daniel Ballinger and Sarah Hepworth, trumpets, Melissa Shirley, horn and Stewart Armitage, trombone.

The opening work Entrat Festiva, for brass quartet and organ, by 20th century composer Flor Peters, was presented from the choir loft, with Frank De Rosso playing the organ.  A more fitting work to open the festival could not be imagined.  The music is exciting, joyful and loud, setting the whole church ringing.

Festival Director, Frank De Rosso, is a master at using the spaces available in St Mary’s so that performers are heard to best advantage.  This means that sometimes performers are not seen, but this is in the long tradition of music in churches, where often, as at St Mary’s, organs and musicians we placed out of the congregation’s sight, and choirs often placed behind screens.

St Mary’s has an semicircular gallery behind the high altar, separated from the chancel by a marble colonnade. This space was chosen for the second work – Cantite tuba in Sion (Sound the trumpets in Sion).  The acoustic was perfect for the choir, with the lines perfectly blended in weaving counterpoint.

The choir then moved to a space behind the main altar, now in view, for Pater Noster, by Francisco Guerro, for choir and brass, along with the brass.  It is easy for brass instruments to overshadow voices, and this was somewhat the case for this work, as the choir was still masked by columns and the main altar.

This was followed by three works for choir along, Sicut Servus/Sitvit anima mea by Palestrina and Exultate Deo, by Scarlatti. The last is a most exciting celebratory work, with a fast “Jubilate” middle section (taken by the Chorale at lightning speed) and finishing with joyful Alleluias.

Positioned in a transept, the brass quartet played Canzona a 4 by Giovanni Gabrielli.

The choir were finally in full view – standing on the chancel steps.  The sound was also more balanced between choir and brass, for a performance of Hans Hassler’s Missa Octo Voci .  The brass played one of the 4-part ‘choir’ parts, the Chorale the other.  A feature was the antiphony – with one choir singing alone, followed by the other, and then both together, giving a rich texture and full sound.  The Chorale demonstrated a sure line, and clean polyphony.  There was also a good balance between parts, despite the numerical lack of basses and tenors.

A haunting melody played by solo horn began the second half of the concert.  It was the opening of Easter Moon, by contemporary Melbourne composer, Christopher Wilcock.  began the second half.  The choir entry was a chant, mainly unison, building from piano then crescendoing to blossom into harmony.  The pattern continued, trombone solo followed by voices, trumpet duet followed by voices.  Finally the haunting strains of the horn died away to silence.

In honour of the setting, St Mary’s, three settings of Ave Maria followed, by Bruckner, Franz Beibl and Morten Lauridsen.  The second of these includes brass, the other two are for choir alone.

The brass returned to the choir loft to play Grand Choeur Dialogue by Eugene Gigout – a spectacular piece for organ and brass.  Finally, the choir joined them, in a very early and florid setting of Now Thanks We All Our God by Johann Bachelbel.

The Geelong Chorale has rarely been heard to better advantage.  They choir appeared to revel in this difficult music.

The collaboration with brass on such joyful music made a perfect opening concert for this year’s Windfire Festival – the 11th.  This year’s festival runs across three weekends, and includes eight concerts in various venues, four weekday lunchtime “Organ Plus 1” recitals, an afternoon tea (with music) for Mother’s Day and a workshop.  For more information go to Music at the Basilica.  

Helen Lyth

The Geelong Chorale presents its next concert on Sunday August 18th, with a program of music from opera and operetta.

Read  Shirley Power’s review of Sound the Trumpet at Entertainment Geelong.

Faure Requiem – The Geelong Chorale

Music of the Americas – Vox Angelica: Sunday, 14th May, 2018

 

St Paul’s Anglican Church, Geelong

One could not imagine a more fitting final concert for the 10^TH Annual WINDFIRE FESTIVAL OF MUSIC IN GEELONG’S HISTORIC CHURCHES  than a performance by Geelong’s premier chamber choir, Vox Angelica.  Tom Healey, director and founder of Vox Angelica selected a program of music from the Americas, ranging from the 17^th century to the 21^st.

Tom Healey, Director, Vox Angelica

Throughout the program the choir showed good blend, faultless diction, and the ability to tackle highly complex counterpoint and luscious modern harmonies with equal skill.  The acoustic in St Paul’s Church is superb for vocal music – allowing for the fullest of texture and the quietest pianissimo.

From the first, it was clear that this was to be an extraordinary concert.  There was much rarely heard music, ranging from three Baroque pieces from Mexico, Peru and South Carolina through the centuries to contemporary music.  At the 17th century, most composers in the Americas were immigrants.

Resuenen los Clarines (May the trumpets sound),  by Manuel de Zumaya, dates from 17^th century Mexico.  This antiphonal piece for two four part choirs, was challenging – with a fine interplay of sections between the two choruses.

Recordad Silguerillos (Remember, Little Goldfinches), by Juan de Araujo, a Spanish immigrant to Peru, for two sopranos, descant recorder and organ, was performed by Emily Swanson and Helen Seymour (sopranos), Jan Lavelle (recorder) and Frank De Rosso (organ).  The piece is a love song, with interwoven voice parts.   This was an admirable performance, enhanced by the wonderful acoustic of St Paul’s Church.

Tom Healey directs sopranos Emily Swanson and Helen Seymour

Jan Lavelle

The third piece was a setting of Magnificat from Theodore Pachelbel.  Pachelbel, an immigrant to South Carolina, was the son of more famous Johan Pachelbel.  This setting was for double choir.

During the concert, Tom Healey played two contrasting pieces on the organ.  The first, a gentle 18^th century Offerterio by Domenico Zipoli, an Italian migrant to Argentina, showed off the organ’s reedy stops with only one sustained one pedal note.  The second work, Toccata (from Suite) by Canadian composer, Thomas Bédard, was spectacular and used the full power of the organ, and showed off Healey’s phenomenal technique.

Lament Over Boston, a re-imagining of Psalm 137 with a new world focus, by William Billings, laments the unrest in the city in the late 18th century, with the approaching revolution against British rule.  In  English, it demonstrated the choir’s excellent diction and blend, and also Billings’ skilled word painting.  A part-song  in a lighter vein followed – 19^th century romantic composer Edward MacDowell’s Barcarole.

Two of the USA’s most famous composers of the twentieth century were next – with Aaron Copeland’s At the River for men’s choir and piano, and Randall Thompson’s Come In for women’s choir, piano and flute.  In this setting of a poem by Robert Frost, the flute interludes mimic birdsong.   After a climax from full voiced choir, the music ebbs to an exquisite and moving  pianissimo, before the birdsong dies away to a final  thrush-like chirrup. The flautist in this performance was Brighid Mantelli.

Brighid Mantelli

Argentina’s Astor Piazzola is famous for his tangos.  The final piece before interval was an energetic  setting of Libertango, full of tango rhythms from the lower voices and piano, and finishing with a stunning fortissimo climax.

Twentieth and twenty-first century music from North America comprised the second half of the program.  It included spirituals like My Lord, What a Morning, arranged by HT Burleigh, and sung with a warm a cappella.  The subterranean bass note in the final extended pianissimo chord reverberated hauntingly.

Canada was represented with works by two contemporary female composers .  The first was the beautiful moving In Remembrance for a cappella choir, from Eleanor Daley’s Requiem.  The second work was an exquisite setting of Hear My Prayer (Psalm 103) by Stephanie Martin.

Thomas A Dorsey’s gospel song Precious Lord, begins in a traditional style, before relaxing into a heavy jazz-rock with men singing the tune, and the choir’s women singing in harmony above, with a virtuosic jazz piano accompaniment, played with great flare by the choir’s accompanist, Sonoka Miyake.

The final piece was another spiritual Let the Light Shine on Me, arranged by Moses Hogan.

Congratulations to Vox Angelica and Music at the Basilica, under the musical directorship of Frank De Rosso, for presenting this celebration of beautiful music.

 

 

 

 

 

Festival Gala opening Concert

Windfire Festival celebrates ten years

Congratulations to Music at the Basilica, Musical Director, Frank De Rosso and the Music at the Basilica management committee.

This opening concert is performed by Orchestra Geelong and a massed choir from many Geelong choirs, as well as Geelong Grammar School Choir and The Geelong Youth Choir, and soprano soloists Lee Abrahmsen and Sally Wilson.

As well as individual tickets there are Festival Passes available:

GOLD PASS:  This will give you entry to all seven concerts and both workshops for $170 Full/$165 Concession

SILVER PASS:  This will give you entry to any 4 concerts of your choice for $90 Full/$85 Concession

Individual tickets:  Gala Opening Concert – $35/$30, other concerts $25, Workshops – $10.  Children are free to all events.

Festival Passes are available from www.trybooking.com/TORI

For more information visit https://musicatthebasilica.org.au/music-festival/

Voices of our Time: Sunday August 27 2017

The Geelong Chorale

All Saints Church, Newtown

It is some time since the Geelong Chorale presented a concert at All Saints Church.  Since the last time, the church has been carpeted, with flexible seating.  The new configuration is much more comfortable than the original wooden pews.  However, the carpet has adversely effected the liveliness of the acoustics.

In order to redress this, the choir was placed in the chancel, which retains its tiled floor.  This meant some loss in volume, but enhanced the blend of the choir, which has rarely been better.

The music was contemporary:  all the composers are still living.  Allister Cox has directed the Chorale since 2012.  The choir have blossomed under this directorship.

The first three items were by Australian composers.  The concert began with Kooraegulla, by Stephen Leek in 2002.  The text, Kooraegulla, means ‘meeting place’.  Leak’s setting exploited the rhythmic potential of the one word text most effectively.

Malcolm John was in the audience to hear his lovely setting of Let Your Song Be Delicate, a setting of a poem by John Shaw Neilson.  This work is a favourite with the Chorale.

Three Bush Songs, by Iaine Grandage followed.  This work evokes the atmosphere is the Australian bush, and has challenging harmonies, and a requirement that singers make bird and insect noises.  The third movement, ‘Sunset’ evokes the searing heat of last rays of the sun and the cooling relief of  the coming of night after a torrid summer’s day.

American composer Eric Whitacre’s first foray into composing followed – a setting of Go Lovely Rose composed in 1991 for the choir in which he was singing at Nevada State University.  This piece has challenging harmonies, considerable splitting within parts, and requires a full range of dynamics.  I hope that the Chorale consider adding some more songs by Eric Whitacre for future concerts, despite the challenges they pose.

The final three pieces in the first half of the concert were by British composers, the carol My Guardian Angel by Judith Weir (the text is a poem by William Blake), Welsh composer Karl Jenkins’s Healing Light and Scottish composer James MacMillan’s traditionally harmonised motet O Radiant Dawn.  The Chorale produced exciting crescendos and some lovely harmonic colour.

The second half of the program was Lux Aeterna, by American composer Morten Lauridsen’s, originally scored for choir and orchestra.  The version for this performance was for choir and organ (played in the Chorale’s performance by Frank De Rosso).   The performance was most successful  when the choir and organ performed separately.  When working together, the organ overpowered the choir.  Hopefully, the choir will present this work in a future concert, where there is a better choral acoustic and more time to work on balance.  The text for this sacred work comes from sections of the Latin mass.  The theme is ‘light’.  There are contrasts in dynamics, harmony and unison, and polyphony and homophony, and a gentle Alleluia ending.

Much of the music in this concert was challenging for the choir, made more difficult by the challenging venue – extremely cold on this icy winter’s afternoon.  Despite this, it was a most satisfying concert for the small audience.  The Geelong Chorale are to be congratulated for stepping outside their comfort zone to present contemporary music.

Helen Lyth

Allister Cox provided program notes about each piece.