Thrilling moments got here aplenty in Thursday evening’s “Carols at Midnight” by the much-loved and extremely revered Boston Camerata. Because the pandemic, I’ve gone to treasured few live shows—the previous yr solely two others. To be again in First Church Cambridge after three years rekindled reminiscences of Reviewing Previous. So, in witnessing the Camerata’s present, I felt a re-entry right into a magic world of reside, superbly carried out music. It was an event of thankfulness and charm, for not solely me, but in addition for the packed viewers.
The thought of blending the “excessive” and “low” types of musical expression that the French have achieved over the centuries shaped the idea of the live performance. It turns out that most of the carol texts have been meant to be sung to secular, well-liked songs of the day that everyone knew. Anne Azema writes:
The popularizing Christmas poems have been usually printed in text-only anthologies, with out music, for an city, middle-class clientele. A rubric on the poem’s head would give the supposed melody – typesetting music price more money, and these have been frugal editions. In addition to, everyone knew the tunes! “Pecheurs souffrez,” for instance, is a remodeling of a secular love tune, “Amy souffrez.” The Provençal carol,“Adam et sa coumpagno,” like its French language counterpart, “Or dites-nous Marie,” and the ravishing “Avant que rien ne fut au monde” derives from a success tune in an opera by Lully. And so forth…
The Camerata has an extended historical past with the night’s centerpiece, Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s (1634?-1704) Messe de Minuit sur les airs de Noël, A midnight mass based mostly on French carols. The ensemble first carried out this in 1977 in a program, “A French Christmas” (alongside, like this night, with chants and well-liked carols). They recorded it in 1978 (the primary recording one interval devices), they usually have repeated this program and in addition rerecorded it for Nonesuch in 1992 as “A Baroque Christmas.” At this level it’s in their DNA and their efficiency of what Azema calls “this little masterpiece” was merely very good.
Numerous numbers of singers and instrumentalists took turns, presenting refreshing modifications of texture and temper. The large discovery for me was the bass-baritone John Taylor Ward, who opened the night, singing beguilingly from the balcony. The instrumentalists have been all good, particularly violinist Sarah Darling, whose enthusiasm and musicality appears to make everybody in her many ensembles play just a little bit higher. The harpist, Christa Patton, doubled on the chiaramella*, which was such a delight to listen to. Sadly though she additionally busied herself at a triple harp, the sound by no means traveled even so far as the 5th row, the place I sat; it was just about inaudible. Apparently miking and early music should not a kosher combo. The 2 flutes, Na’ama Lion and Héloïse Degrugilier, performed with poise and a beautiful sound. (Excessive praise coming from a reviewer not keen on flutes).
Three vocalists stood out: soprano Camille Patrias, whose singing was simply breathtaking, tenor Corey Dalton Hart, and the extraordinary Anne Azéma, who put all of this collectively, and whose masterful conducting, and beautiful singing introduced emotional vacation pleasure. The Longy college students who sang in among the tuttis within the Mass added to the festivities.
A quibble, apart from not being in any respect capable of hear the harp: The printed handout, a reviewer’s bible, was slightly disorganized, making it a problem to establish particular items. With so many brief examples, we would have liked a clearer roadmap.
“All of this music,” Joel Cohen writes, “tends to the identical aim, the celebration, in pleasure, of the Nativity.” The standing ovation on the finish, after seven seconds of reverent silence, made it clear how the Camerata had imparted pleasure to all who there.
Boston Camerata’s subsequent intown live performance: Henry Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas, reside, on Saturday March 18th at Pickman Live performance Corridor, Longy, Cambridge, MA Anne Azéma leads Tahanee Aluwihare as Dido, Luke Scott as Aeneas, Camila Parias as Dido’s sister Belinda, and Jordan Weatherston Pitts because the Sorcerer, with Peter Torpey’s evocative lighting and media parts.
*like a shawn
