Berberis' World

Saturday, 18th October 2008, Royal Festival Hall.

“A great or even a very good performance of “Missa solemnis“, one of the great masterpieces of the 19th (or any other) century, is rare.

Christoph Eschenbach‘s interpretation was a case in point. The opening ‘Kyrie’ was promising enough, tender and concentrated with flowing tempos, the devotional feel beautifully captured by the London Philharmonic Choir.

The opening of the ‘Gloria’ was swift and bitingly intense with glowing work from the chorus, the sopranos rising magnificently to the formidable musical challenges.

The ‘Agnus Dei’ was suitably solemn, a prayer for forgiveness, yet the military drums and fanfares which punctuate the prayer have been a little bit more dramatic.

Of the soloists, Anne Schwanewilms was sweet and utterly secure in the upper registers, Nikolai Schukoff was full of fervour and made light of the considerable vocal demands.”

Exerpts from review by Andrew Maisel (www.classicalsource.com)

My only experience of Beethoven before this was the 9th. Beethoven ticks a lot of ‘firsts’ boxes for me; the first piece I performed in public; my first concert with my first proper choir (the Lewisham Choral Society); my first sight-reading challenge. Of all of these, it was the sight-reading that was the most difficult. There were times when I thought I’d never decipher the dots and lines and squiggles that covered the shiny new just-under-A4-size-pages of my precious score. However, I practiced my chords off and it all went splendidly. Even my husband — who absolutely hates singing — quite enjoyed it.

Apparently, Beethoven is (perhaps ‘will be’?) Spock’s favourite composer, because of the very mathematical nature of his composing. I don’t see or hear it myself, despite being quite good at maths.

I’ve only listened to ‘Missa Solemnis’ once since the performance — whilst clearing out the cellar, and only to rediscover what my favourite parts were — which gives some indication of how memorable it was. Or perhaps I just wasn’t giving it my full attention. Despite a few lovely phrases here and there, nothing really stands out. Not that it matters. What is more important is what ‘Missa Solemnis’ represents to me: a successful audition; my first performance with a new choir; first time singing at the RFH etc etc. And my very first blog entry.

Odd recollections:

• I was in the front row for the concert, as I had been for the 9th with LCS.
• The old adage “good rehearsal, bad performance” is true, in my experience. For me, the rehearsal went very well. In the performance, I missed cues and sang in the wrong place at least once.
• Patching. This was a new experience for me. Basically, what you hear on a CD are the best bits of the rehearsal, the performance, plus amendments. Someone shouted “Patch!” as we left the stage and, briefly, I wondered who’d lost their dog.
• It’s always a little bizarre seeing the orchestra and conductor in civvies. They look so ordinary. I doubt they have the same view of us.