Concerto Italiano delivers perfect concert

Claudio Monteverdi, Vespro della Beata Vergine
Concerto Italiano
New Zealand Festival
Michael Fowler Centre
February 27

The Michael Fowler Centre seemed to be filled with a choir of heavenly angels singing Monteverdi’s Vespro della Beata Vergine, probably the effect that the composer was aiming for when he composed it over 400 years ago.

These vespers may be 400 years old but they give an impression of experimentation both in the way the instruments are played and the way the singing is layered. This is a work which marks a time of change in both church and secular music.

The instruments were all authentic – trombones, cornets, violin, cello and theorbos – long-necked lutes that gave the work an almost dissonant sound at times, which adds to the sense of being experimental.

The voices were almost authentic – Monteverdi probably didn’t have big choirs of women, having to make do with boys and castrati but the sound was impressive and heavenly.

There are memories of Janet Cardiff’s installation of Thomas Tallis’ Forty Part motet, which was at Wellington’s City Gallery in 2010. Where that work featured individual voices through individual speakers, the Monteverdi lets one experience a number of carefully pitched voices at one time.

Director Rinaldo Alessandrini provided impeccable control, over the volume of the instruments and carefully judging the power of the soloists and choir.

With so many vocal lines having to be carefully woven together, it needs a skilled conductor and Mr Alessandrini seemed to be an intimate part of his choir, attentive to all the small details that the work requires. He created passages of serenity as well as galvanising the choir and players in sequences of soaring voluptuous music while at other timers it was the soloists who impressed with a breath-taking elegance.

This was a performance that will be remembered not just for a rare performance of the Vespers but also for the opportunity to hear such accomplished musicians and singers.

Tune into NBR Radio’s Sunday Business with Andrew Patterson, launching this Sunday morning, for analysis and feature-length interviews.