Dunedin Consort: Mozart C Minor Mass

Perth Concert Hall - 20/09/22

Perth Concert Hall on the night of 20th September was the venue for a programme of two works, performed by the Dunedin Consort with guest soloists, and rescheduled from the previous night due to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth.  Comprising Haydn’s tonally adventurous Symphony No.80 and Mozart’s monumental Mass in C Minor, this was the second outing of a programme first given two nights previously in Haddington as part of the Lammermuir Festival, and which will be reprised in Saffron Walden in November.  An ensemble of chamber orchestra and chamber chorus, the Dunedin Consort is perhaps most famed for their historically informed performance of baroque repertoire with period instruments but is equally at home with music of the classical period, as well as commissioning and performing new music. 

It is always a treat to hear a Haydn symphony performed as chamber music, but with the added bonus of the lovely timbre of period flute, oboes, bassoons and horns and a band of only 11 strings with tone to die for (3 each firsts and seconds, two each violas and cellos and 1 bass), and John Butt’s directorial vision shared with band and audience, it made a quirky rarer work all the more memorable in performance.  From the off, tempi were crisp and clear.  The D-minor Sturm und Drang first subject gives way to a major-key jaunty, witty 3/4 dance on flute and first violins over a pizzicato ‘oom-pah-pah’ – quite scrumptious – leading to a development with some very uncharacteristic forays into remote keys, some well-judged general pauses providing added hilarity.  The Adagio was more andante, but no complaints from me – its genial warm B-flat major benefitting from a dance-like reading, with a darker minor key episode near the end of the movement, all elegantly pointed. The enigmatic minuet, with phrases starting in the minor and finishing in the major, received a brisk tempo and a light touch, while the major key limpid simplicity of the trio received a broader tempo.  The quirky finale, D major sunshine subverted with mischievous phrases of shocking brevity, wild syncopation, frantic scurrying and sliding chromaticism, is an absolute romp and was delivered as such in a reading that was as compelling as it was whimsical. 

For the Mozart, the orchestra gained 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, small organ and wee timpani, and was joined by the Consort’s chorus and soloists, comprising guest sopranos Lucy Crowe and Anna Dennis (her line was mostly mezzo/alto), guest tenor Joshua Ellicott and the bass solo line was sung by the ensemble’s own bass Robert Davies.  As a Mass, it is unfinished (missing bits of the Credo and all of the Agnus Dei), but in performance it is a gem, not without some colourful peculiarities.  Bachian gravitas alternates with often operatic Mozartian coloratura, the opening Kyrie being a case in point with a limpid soprano solo from Lucy Crowe following the stern choral introduction, with all styles receiving the optimal advocacy.  A mighty Bach-emulative Gloria in the major key was followed by an expressive Laudamus te from Anna Dennis, with impressively delivered leaps between top and bottom registers and a gloriously warm mezzo range.  Scrunchy choral harmonies graced the Gratias agimus, followed by a gorgeous duet between the two sopranos.  An atmospheric choral Qui tollis in the minor with weighty trombones was followed by the delicious Quoniam, a trio for the two sopranos and tenor Joshua Ellicott’s delicious tone, all characterful yet perfectly blended.  The Gloria concluded with a mighty fugue.  The confident and ebullient Credo then launched in the major with emphatic timpani.  Et incarnatus est delivered Lucy Crowe’s turn to negotiate some challenging vocal leaps, but more memorably the sweetest duetting with wind instruments, especially those beautiful oboes, in a mellifluous liquid melodic line.  Timpani and brass in the major key announce the Sanctus, building to a big fugue on the first Osanna in excelsis.  The Benedictus follows a minor-key orchestral introduction, another sweet trio, but this time with the two sopranos and bass Robert Davies, with a tone that was strong and characterful, yet sensitive and responsive to the ensemble sound.  The final Osanna with the full ensemble brought the performance to a rousing conclusion. 

A great concert and I am very glad to have caught it in the Perth Concert Hall, having missed the Lammermuir performance due to car trouble.