|
LEICESTER
MERCURY
17/05/05
LISZT - CHRISTUS,
LEICESTER PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
DE MONTFORT HALL, LEICESTER, 14/05/05
REVIEW By STEPHEN GAMBLE
AN
AMBITIOUS AND ORIGINAL REVIVAL
Saturday evening at the De Montfort
Hall brought together a fascinating combination of musical talents. The
Leicester Philharmonic Choir and the Leicester Symphony Orchestra performed
Liszt's Christus oratorio, conducted by that most eminent of Liszt interpreters,
Leslie Howard.
The actor Simon Callow performed the narration and Countesthorpe Community
College Chamber Choir sang the children's choir part.
Credit must go to all who organised and performed this ambitious and original
concert. Christus is one of those compositions that has spent most of its
history in the archive, only occasionally being performed. Unfortunately, there
does not lie a neglected masterpiece between the bindings of every old dusty
score.
The role of the orchestra in Christus is substantial, carrying much of the
dramatic thought. The pizzicato march of The Three Kings was played with
particular skill, as was the woodwind's rustic Shepherd's Song. The choir
articulated with precision and sang with apparent pleasure. James Rutherford,
who sang the part of Christus, produced a performance of real character. The
children's choir was a delight.
Only Liszt disappointed. The musical and spiritual iconoclast of harmonies,
poetiques et religieuses, become self-consciously iconic. If Liszt thought this
was his ticket into heaven, I suspect the Almighty would rather have been
presented with the Mephisto Waltzes.
|