Luminescence Chamber Singers | Garden of Earthly Delights
3 October, 2025, Primrose Potter Salon, Melbourne Recital Centre, VIC
Deliciously decadent. Taking inspiration from the famous Dutch painting of great excesses of the same name, Garden of Earthly Delights was equally shocking in its artistic scope and extraordinary attention to detail. Sublime singing, technically impeccable and above all, beautiful music making.
The Luminescence Chamber Singers are AJ America, Rachel Mink, Josephine Brereton, Dan Walker, Lucien Fischer and Alastair Stretch, some of whom are also the operational powerhouses of the group, and they were joined the much respected choral conductor and Artistic Mentor, Roland Peelman AM.
The program consisted of 17 works all up. We heard Hildegard and John Cage, two commissioned works, Escape by Nicole Murphy and Ode to the Apple by Archie Tulk, many other contemporary composers and some of the masters of the Renaissance. Cleverly constructed, the new works were ground settings of the Agnus Dei by Josquin dez Prez, and the concert was front loaded with the more serious works with the more outrageous works towards the end of the concert.
Did I say outrageous? I mean VERY outrageous. Hot knife by Fiona Apple, Welcome to the internet by Bo Burnham, XXX Songs: Anime by Frank Nuyts. Such great works that are reminiscent of the racy works of Orlando de Lassus, one of which was also included in the program.
That said, the performance was flawless and delivered with style. Lucien Fischer’s smooth singing of the cantus firmus in the Agnus Dei I from the Missa Hercules Dux Ferrariae by Josquin des Prez might have taken my breath away, but I think he did it in one breath. And the moments when tenor Dan Walker brought his full sound bear were like liquid gold on the ears.
Roland Peelman needs no introduction and it was a privilege to be in the intimate setting of the Primrose Potter Salon at the Melbourne Recital Centre to experience the close workings of the ensemble. Roland poured such energy into his directions and the singers responded in kind. I was in awe of their ability to show restraint as well as the precision of their delivery.
To program an arrangement by Dan Walker of Earthly Delights by Aurora, a Norwegian art pop singer, next to works by Luzzaschi and Verdelot to shape a program as appealing and satisfying as this one, takes great artistry and confidence, just as it must have been for Hieronymus Bosch when he conceived and delivered his great painting in all its grandeur and gory detail.
