BBC Proms review - two offbeat evening of choral works

<First published online in the Financial Times on August 22, 2022>

The Proms of Friday and Saturday evenings, both choral events, were slightly offbeat. Friday’s concert, with Sofi Jeannin conducting the BBC Singers and the English Concert, was Solomon, which is nobody’s favourite Handel oratorio, even though every moment of it is very fine. Saturday’s, with Sakari Oramo conducting the BBC Symphony Chorus and BBC Symphony Orchestra, began with Debussy’s Nocturnes, which is only choral in the last of its three sections — and is wordless then — and went on to the Mass in D Major of Ethel Smyth, who, though never wholly forgotten, has long been marginalised by virtue of her gender. The Handel had its premiere in 1749; the Debussy and Smyth — utterly dissimilar — are both compositions of the 1890s.

Smyth’s Mass was being given in the Royal Albert Hall, where it premiered in 1893, though this was its Proms debut. Its opening Kyrie, starting with a quietly winding descent for the basses, introduces, group by group in accumulation, the four main sections of the choir, and opens up the intensely expressive imagination of Smyth’s conception. At every point, you feel an interpretative, contemplative, assured mind powerfully at work.

It’s a mind that keeps moving through multiple meanings within the Mass; Oramo’s great achievement is in showing a sense of architectural purpose within music that keeps moving, sometimes fast, between mystery and exaltation, rapture and force. Smyth has a striking range of vocal-orchestral combinations, not least when the high women’s voices in the Sanctus are accompanied by low brass. A fascinatingly multi-faceted work.

The soprano Nardus Williams drew the large hall into the soft, sweet spell of “Et incarnatus” and “Benedictus”, suspending Smyth’s high-lying lines like shining gossamer. Robert Murray, tenor, sang glowingly but strenuously; his finest moment came in the calm hush with which he sang the final “Dona nobis pacem” of the Agnus Dei. The mezzo Bethan Langford brought eloquence to lines that probably call for greater contralto depth; bass Božidar Smiljanić’s warmly authoritative line made many wish his part was larger.

As played by Oramo and the BBC Symphony on Saturday, Debussy’s three Nocturnes (1897-99) seemed misnomers: wonderfully full of daylight with no loss of musical impressionism. These are very separate works: Nuages (Clouds) is serene, often suspending time, here summery; Fêtes is energetic, excited, full of joyous ceremonies; Sirènes is a magically mysterious seascape.

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The musical progression of Handel’s Solomon has little to do with narrative drama. The score passes its account of the wise ruler, marvellously, through changes of light and mood that show Handel’s mastery. We’re never on the edge of our seats; we’re never bored. Iestyn Davies (Solomon) and Anna Dennis (his Queen, and the first harlot) produced exquisite, exemplary vocalism amid which very few words could be heard.

Although Wallis Giunta (changing dresses between her vehement, glamorous second harlot and her gorgeously regal Sheba) and Benjamin Hulett (Zadok) were not more mellifluous, but made stronger impressions by making their words register. Still, Sofi Jeannin’s account was a Solomon more for St Martin-in-the-Fields than for the Albert Hall; and the singing of the BBC Singers was lovely rather than communicative.

@ Financial Times, 2022