St Paul’s Anglican Church, Geelong
For their first concert of 2024, The Geelong Chorale, conducted and introduced by Musical Director, Allister Cox, treated their appreciative audience to a train trip on the famous Orient Express, from Constantinople (Istanbul) to Paris, with whistle stops in Varna (Bulgaria), Bucharest (Romania), Budapest (Hungary), Vienna (Austria) and Munich (Germany) before finally disembarking in Paris.
In each city, the audience listened to local choral music – performed in the local languages as well as pieces with English, Italian and Latin texts.
Before settling into first class, passengers wished Istanbul farewell, listening two pieces by modern contemporary composers. The first was a setting of the Turkish folk song Çamdan Sakiz Akiyor by Ismail Yersiz. This began with the basses in unison singing the melody, and then being joined in canon with the altos, before a complex setting for mixed chorus. This set the scene for a wonderful concert – with the Chorale in best form in the stunning acoustics of St Pauls Geelong. With the men of the choir towards the front, the balance of the four parts was good – and the blend excellent.
After Gemlis Dünyanin Dőrt Bir, by modern female composer Melike, the train set off for Varna, for two songs by the Romanian composers. The Marian text, Of a Rose we Sing, has been set in English and Latin by Dobrinka Tabakova. Having much of her training in the English choral tradition, the work showed the influence of composers like Rutter and Whittaker, with a lovely piano part in the higher register, played sensitively by the choir’s long-time accompanist, Christine Mellens. Gabriela Hristova and Joshua DeVries had collaborated on a setting of the traditional song Dilmano, Dilbera. The setting expanded the traditional setting of melody and drone with complex harmonies and a very effective key change. Despite the difficult setting, the choir shone in this unaccompanied performance.
Travelling through Romania, the music moved back to the 19th century, with works by Gheorghe Cucu and George Enescu. Domnuleţ Şi Domn din Cer is a setting of a Christmas song, and showed off the excellent unison of the soprano line, with the deeper voices in the bass line enhanced by this a cappella performance. Enescu’s Waldgesang is a celebration of nature – and, in particular, the Rhine River.
From Romania, the Orient Expresses crosses the Danube into Hungary to make its next stop in Budapest.
Composer and musicologist Zoltán Kodály set the Italian poem Fuor De La Bella Caiba for women’s voices. This work, about an escaping nightingale, lost to sing freely in the forest, was most ably introduced and conducted by the Chorale’s deputy conductor, Anne Pilgrim. She postulated that the newly caged bird was owned by a young woman, who wished that the bird would come back to sing in her garden.
Kodály’s output of choral music is immense. It would be good to hear more of it from this excellent choir.
The second Hungarian work was for men’s voices – Wir Sing Nicht Mumien, by Franz Liszt. The piano doubled the voice parts, and was over-loud – at least partly caused by its prominent position in front of the choir. I note here that the bulky upright piano’s position also masked a large proportion of the choir from the audience.
Vienna was represented by the music of Josef Haydn – Alles Hat Seine Zeit, and Anton Bruckner – Os Justi. The motet Os Justi was most moving in this lovely setting – with its big crescendos to high fortissimo climaxes and falls to serene pianissimos.
Germany is huge in the choral repertoire, and was represented by works by three composers. The works of Clara Schumann, belittled for many years by a perception of gender-superiority, is once again taking her place in western music. Her partsong Gondoliera deserves a place in any choir’s repertoire. Josef Rheinberger’s beautiful setting of Abenlied was next, followed by a setting of Goethe’s Auf dem See by Felix Mendelssohn. This was the last piece in a set of six partsongs, composed to be performed out of doors.
After a journey of multiple days, passengers on the Orient Express finally disembark in Paris. For the first class passenger, having settled into a luxury hotel, the experience is topped off by a night at the Paris opera. Bizet’s Carmen is playing a gala performance to an audience dripping champagne and diamonds.
The Geelong Chorale ended this more satisfying concert with the scene from the opera – Les Voici! March of the Tordadors, a crowdwhich describes the procession of bull fighters and culminates in the famous Todeadors Song. The choir sang their hearts out in this rousing concert performance, with Kristine Mellens giving a hearty piano rendition of the orchestra part.
It was a most satisfying musical journey for a Sunday afternoon, performed in a venue that has possibly the best acoustics for choirs in the region. Bravo!
The Geelong Chorale will present two more concerts in 2024.
Karl Jenkins Requiem
Sunday, August 18, 2.30, Wesley Uniting Church, Yarra Street, Geelong
Ave Maria
A recital of choral music in anticipation of Christmas
Saturday November 30, 5pm, All Saints’ Anglican Church, Noble Street, Newtown
The Choral Grapevine 