‘‘Beginnings’’
Knox Church
Sunday March 1
REVIEWED BY ELIZABETH BOUMAN
Dunedin is well-endowed with choirs ranging in style and repertoire, catering for all who enjoy singing with others, ranging from small hobby choirs, to those with over 100 members.
The newly formed Octagon Ensemble gave inaugural concerts at the weekend - in Invercargill on Saturday and yesterday afternoon in Dunedin.
Octagon Ensemble comprises 10 female singers, plus nine accompanying musicians, artistic director and vocal coach (Tessa Romano) and director (John Buchanan.)
Many in the group are professional or semi-professional musicians and audience expectations were high for this first concert.
The good-sized audience in Knox Church was not disappointed, delighted with the variety of choral gems and focus on beauty of sound.
The programme began with a capella plainsong O Virtus Sapientiae by Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), a madrigal by Monteverdi, Su, Su, Su pastorelli vezzosi, Ave Verum, a short Eucharist chant by Poulenc and a sublime performance of a beautiful motet Ave Maria, by Franz Biebl.
A Scarlatti keyboard sonata B Minor K27 played on the grande piano by Sharon McLennon, highlighted fast, nimble fingers which never lost clarity, maintaining intelligent astute voicing throughout.
A Little Jazz Mass (2004) by British composer Bob Chilcott fuses traditional Latin Mass and jazz idiom in a toe-tapping, body swinging delivery.
The ensemble’s body language was refined, but their rhythm and vocal blend was superb with excellent balance, and unison passages ‘‘as one voice’’ with no loose ends.
Accompaniment was piano, string bass and subtle non-intrusive percussion.
Fast forward moving Moon Goddess by Jocelyn Hagen with duo pianists and percussion, Lineage (Ramsey) and Sure on this Shining Night (Lauridsen) preceded three final pieces by Norwegian born composer Ola Gjello, accompanied by a string quartet.
Gjello’s The Crossing and Home, The Rose and Tundra were absolutely divine. Sonorous, peaceful and reflective - ideal repertoire for musicians so focused on creating beauty of sound.
We eagerly await the next concert from Octagon Ensemble.
