Written in 1699, the Missa Assumpta est Maria is Charpentier at the height of his powers, musically, expressively and technically. It’s also beautifully French with all the Baroque trimmings you could wish for, elegant, ornamented, and fluid, moving effortlessly through multiple rhythms and time signatures.
Such a work is a momentous challenge for the performers, and that challenge was accepted by the Kew Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Progetto Corelli on period instruments, Director Stephen Kerr and David Macfarlane on chamber organ.
The concert opened with Charpentier’s Dixit Dominus H202, written in 1688-90. Scored for instruments and voices, the choir were accompanied throughout by Progetto Corelli, a period instrument ensemble made up of Wony Choi on baroque flute, Jason Yong and Ray Chen on violins, Peter Neustupny on viola and Olivia Thorne on cello.
The velvety sound of flute and violin added a sensual depth throughout, particularly in the high registers. It was most beguiling and enchanting. As was David Macfarlane’s continuo playing throughout and his occasional solo work, notably between the Kyrie’s that opened the Missa Assumpta.
The Kew Philharmonic Chamber Choir under Director Stephen Kerr brought warmth and enthusiasm to the performance. The French Baroque has its own distinct musical style and set of rules that set it apart from other European national styles. It was evident that everyone in the combined forces had adopted and internalised that je ne sais quoi, as you really hear the nuances in the performance.
And while Holy Trinity in Kew isn’t quite the Sainte-Chapelle that Charpentier knew so well, it was a fitting setting for this sacred music, surrounded by stained glass and the accoutrement of worship.
The instrumental interlude between the Dixit Dominus and Missa Assumpta was very fittingly a dance, the Chaconne des Africains from the opera Cadmus et Hermione by Jean-Baptiste Lully. Starting in the bass by Olivia Thorne on celle, the dance was a gorgeous gem, and one could imagine King Louis XIV on his golden throne, tapping along with his silk and satin ballet shoes.
Although I did feel slightly guilty about this, knowing how much damage Lully did to Charpentier’s career by keeping him very much at arms length from the Court and no doubt doing great damage to his reputation for fear of being usurped by his obvious talent.
Great moments occurred when conductor and director Stephen Kerr reined in the forces with great intensity, such as the section of the Credo that mentioned the Virgin Mary and the ‘one holy Catholic and apostolic church’. Or when he gave the singers the freedom to go wild, such as the Et resurrexit.
Shout out to Baritone Chris Burns for his chant introits, sung in that age old tradition of giving a strong lead in for the choir. I loved the instrumental Benedictus and the sweetness of the Angus Dei, as written by Charpentier.
It was heartening to see such a healthy number in the audience, including some VIP’s of political note and to see the performance supported by the City of Boroondara. Community choirs are hugely important and promote social cohesion, lifelong learning and enrich our culture.
Sometimes we focus on Charpentier’s unhappiness at being restricted to composing for the chapel rather than the court. Thanks to the Kew Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Stephen Kerr and friends, we were today reminded of the glorious and heavenly music Charpentier wrote as a result.
