The celebrated choir of 150 non-professional singers from London
N8 attracted a three-tier audience to the Barbican on Saturday for
its rather over-ambitious programme of Glass, Stravinsky and Brahms.
It began impressively. The simple chords of Philip Glass's unaccompanied
Three Songs showed just how beautifully they could harmonise. The
non-melodic voices have to sing repeating pairs of rapid, staccato notes to
the syllables babababa in song one, papapapa and mamamama in songs
two and three. Machines do this well, but humans find it difficult to keep
up for long as the singers discovered when diaphragms and accuracy gave out.
Glass is obstinately and provocatively monotonous [agreed - Web Ed]. One felt short-changed
to hear the same idea in each song. Stravinsky gave much better value by
composing three contrasting movements to the Symphony of Psalms for which
the choir was joined by the National Sinfonia.
Pianist Elizabeth Shepherd gave a cutting edge to the orchestral tutti.
The contraltos wanted a more bosomy sound in part one and the sopranos
better preparation for their entry after the distracting figure in part two.
But the rhythms pounded hungrily and the finale achieved a mesmerising serenity
over the last pages.
Brahms's demanding German Requiem found a tired choir at the Wie Lieblich chorus.
The lines sagged. The soloists provided a respite. Baritone Ashley Holland was in glorious
voice, soprano Lynne Dawson in dry. She blew her nose in the chorus's powerful
Denn alles Fleisch.
I was moved too, and felt nothing but sorrow for the out-of-tune harpist at the death.
