Portsmouth Baroque Choir with the Consort of Twelve, 18 October
Portsmouth Baroque Choir’s concerts frequently feature less often heard works alongside those that are better known, and Saturday’s concert was no exception. Stylishly accompanied by the excellent Consort of Twelve and under the direction of Malcolm Keeler they performed Alessandro Scarlatti’s rarely performed Messa di Santa Cecilia and Handel’s much better-known Dixit Dominus.
Pairing these two works together did reveal the difference between a good composer and a great one. Scarlatti’s Mass has some lovely moments. notably the alto solo Gratias agimus tibi and the tenor solo Domine Deus – though the faster movements, featuring mainly solo passages with short interjection by chorus were musically less interesting. However, conductor Malcolm Keeler ensured that the interplay between soloists and chorus was crisp and neat. Three fugal movements, one each at the end of the Gloria and Credo, and the other being the Agnus Dei, were the only extended choral passages and these were well handled by Portsmouth Baroque choir, with the intricate part writing well balanced and clearly projected.
Handel’s Dixit Dominus is musically much more interesting, and particularly demanding on all singers – especially for the chorus, particularly in the vigorous and virtuosic final movement – Gloria Patri et Filio. Here the Baroque Choir’s full voiced and confident singing brought the concert to a rousing conclusion.
Elsewhere the two soprano soloists Naomi Barkley and Sarah Baker duetted with panache and good vocal blend (especially in the Scarlatti), alto Melissa Wingfield gave a very fine account of the challenging Virgam Virtutis – accompanied by some fine cello continuo playing from Lynden Cranham (both having been equally good in a solo movement from the Scarlatti).
Tenor Chris Clark and bass Giles White had less to do than their female counterparts, but both sang well – Chris negotiating the awkward and challenging solo passages at the beginning of Dixit Dominus with impressive flexibility and Giles being appropriately stentorian in covering the wrath of Dominus a dextris tuis. Elsewhere I enjoyed the hushed singing of the tenors and basses in De torrente – an excellent foil to the two sopranos duetting above them.
This concert was deservedly well received by a large and enthusiastic audience.
David Holmes
