I got along to hear the Hilliard Ensemble at Christ Church Julian Road, as did quite a lot of people I knew. Dufay isn’t quite my style somehow, but I enjoyed the programme which mixed old and new. All beautifully performed and blended, even with Robin Blaze coming in as a substitution for David James, and carefully using different combinations of singers so everyone got a rest or a chance to shine.
I have a gripe about the programme that was handed out – no translations! I can just about make out the general sense of Renaissance French and Italian, but this ability can’t be assumed. Even some indication for each piece of the general import of the words, not necessarily a full translation, would have been an improvement. And it would have been nice to have had some background about the text of Whale Rant by Elizabeth Liddle.
The Guardian‘s review is here. I agree with the 4-star rating they awarded.
I’m not going to very much in the Bath Festival this year. I thought about the Messiaen centenary concert in the Abbey but decided that after last year I didn’t need to hear the Trois petites liturgies again so soon.
i listened on the radio and thought the Messiaen sounded a bit underpowered and hesitant. Did they use the full 36 singers the score requests? if not, it might have been an idea to make use of the local singers who had the work fresh in their minds. It’s difficult and not often performed.