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A
complete Creation The audience
at the performance of Haydn's "Creation" on July 3, at
the BMICH were to me, the best judges of the evening. There was
a large crowd, mostly of young people, armed with the usual paraphernalia
of cellular phones etc. They were obviously not accustomed to the
discipline of classical music concerts. Sitting in the back rows
of the BMICH, I wondered if the evening would be a disaster. What
intrigued me most was what made them sit through the 120 minutes
of classical music without fidgeting or looking out for distractions
in the auditorium. Applause between movements at popular concerts,
which some years back was made out to be a sign of quality, was
strictly forbidden this evening. Naturally,
one was tired after the long sessions of the first six days of God's
Creation of the world, seen through musical terms en vogue about
120 years ago. However the musicians and singers were able to hold
the attention of the audience up to the final chord. The audience
of this "Magnificent Concert" as it was advertised, was
not "educated" like the audience that had a thorough introduction
when Raymond Adlam performed Verdi's "Requiem" in 1971.
But they obviously enjoyed the music, as any sophisticated audience
would do elsewhere in the world. Lalanath de
Silva was obviously determined to draw the vivid pictures from the
creation of the world - from chaos to the love between Adam and
Eve. And at the end of concert, one did feel in complete harmony
with God's creation despite the awkwardness of Baron Sweiten's translation
of "tawny lions" and "flexible tigers". The
merits of the evening go in the first place to the voices and also
to Gregory Rose, the guest chorus director. Even in the last rows
of the balcony, one could hear the text articulated very clearly.
The conductor
was able to keep the voices together through the complicated fugues
adhering to strict timing and was also able to build up long crescendos
and thereby heighten the drama of this oratorio. Seldom does one
hear such a choral work sung by amateurs, where the sopranos do
not get too shrill in higher registers. The chorus blended perfectly
with the solo voices. Gayathrie Pieris, Michael Dewis and Robert
Johnston as the three archangels were able to attain a narrative
tone without becoming over-theatrical. The precise intonation by
the tenor Robert Johnston must be specially mentioned. The upper strings,
bassoons and french horns of the orchestra might have done better.
The 2nd violins in particular were not matched in strength with
the first violins. I hope the violins strive to play more in tune
and deliver florid passages with greater precision and better tone.
In comparison, the lower strings (from viola downward) did much
better and presented some textures seldom heard even by professional
orchestras. The rest of the wind instruments (in particular the
flutes, oboes, clarinets, trumpets and trombones) were able to give
life to Haydn's most wonderful arietta-like accompaniments without
challenging the role of the solo voices. The timpanist was outstanding.
His contribution to the storm and the musical depiction of the first
sunrise were thrilling. The final chorus
at the end of the second part was sung with so much gusto, that
one felt that the Creation was already complete and it was time
to go home. However the
arrival of Adam and Eve did bring new spirit into the work. Eranga
Goonatilleke's fresh voice was very much welcome into the primeval
Garden of Eden and Dhilan Gnanadurai's effortless singing was most
fascinating to hear and also to watch. It would be
most pedantic to point out the few slips most obvious to any attentive
listener. But it was the most convincing engagement of all those
on stage to make one unique performance that was most fascinating.
At times I felt that I was listening to professional singers and
musicians at their best. The programme for the concert not only
provided valuable information about Haydn's masterpiece, but also
contained reflections on chaos and deeper thoughts on God's creation.
Globalization is seen in developing countries as some kind of negative
force. However, collaboration
with professionals from abroad can offer the Sri Lankan music lover
an evening's entertainment. If such can be offered at a moderate
price, then why should Sri Lankan audiences, from time to time,
not have the opportunity of witnessing a musical offering presented
in a most professional way? |
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