Sir Andrew’s Messiah was the title in the concert program, but without meaning to seem disparaging, it could have been subtitled The MGM Messiah, with its lavish, almost cinematic arrangement calling for a large Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (so many of the latter that six of the sopranos had to sit on the stage with the tenors and basses, while their soprano and alto colleagues sat in the choir stalls on each side of the stage). Although Tony Way in his review in The Age was not much taken with Davis’s departure from the original (and other more traditional arrangements), we sat back and enjoyed it for what it was – a 21st century recreation exploiting all the available orchestral colours to support the text. There were constant, and to us, pleasing surprises from the orchestra, all of whom responded full-heartedly, seeming to enjoy the many opportunities for their moment in the Handelian/Davisian sun.We thought the orchestration created an atmosphere appropriate to the varying moods of darkness, rage, peace and rejoicing. Handel is said to have been receptive to additions and improvisation, and if he had heard the sound palette of this full modern-day orchestra he would surely have approved.
There was a warm-hearted and enthusiastic response from a capacity crowd and they gave Sir Andrew a “welcome back” cheer as he entered the hall. As has become their custom, the orchestra began with an Acknowledgement of Country, Deborah Cheetham’s Long Time Living Here.
The overture showed that this would be no super-Baroque Messiah, as the French-style double-dotting was eschewed for a grander, more legato reading and we were introduced to some less familiar instrumentation. In Andrew Goodwin’s Comfort ye recitative and Every valley aria we were treated to swished cymbals, cor anglais, horns, harp, and trumpets. Careful and very effective use of the harp was a delight and Goodwin sang beautifully, with lovely soft top notes. Davis set a cracking pace in And the glory of the Lord, which was kept pretty much as Handel had written, and introduced us to the full-bodied and warm sound that the choir maintained throughout. In fact, Davis didn’t languish into a lugubrious pace in any of the choruses and the speedy Handelian runs, a real trap for a large choir, were negotiated almost to perfection. The choir’s diction was first rate throughout. Soloists and softer sections of choruses were often accompanied by a reduced number of instruments with the occasional and surprising use of pizzicato strings and unexpected woodwind interpolations. Sir Andrew did not use a baton; his conducting was exemplary and completely clear as he cued in entries of the choir and each section of the orchestra.
Christoher Richardson’s shaking of the heavens and earth in Thus Saith the Lord was impressive, as were Catherine Carby’s refiner’s fiery runs in Who May Abide, supported by percussion, winds and brass! Despite their large numbers, the choir successfully negotiated the rapid runs of And he shall purify, which was accompanied by an amplified chamber organ at the front of the stage – a poor substitute for a proper concert organ in place of the dreary brown Masonite back wall that looks as if it was put up yesterday. It was not a pretty sight to have the pale wooden back of the electronic organ facing us, its holes and wires displayed to all.
Dark shimmering strings introduced For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, with atmospheric trombones, harp, winds and other brass then getting a guernsey. The line And his glory shall be seen revelled in harp and flutes. The opening of For unto us a son is born was delicately accompanied by what was surely a triangle! This was followed by splendid sparkly glockenspiel and rolled tympani to highlight the chorus’s exclamation of Wonderful.
Davis resisted the temptation to fiddle with the following soprano recitatives and Porter sang these with lovely purity of tone. Two soprano trumpets moved to the upper galleries to accompany Glory to God, thrilling, both visually and musically on high! Jacqueline Porter’s Rejoice greatly was a real highlight – a glorious sound with beautifully executed runs and tasteful decoration, leading into He shall feed his flock with luscious but sensitive lower strings. His yoke was easy was appropriately light and sung easily, leading to a climax with the trumpets on high returned to the galleries.
Behold the Lamb of God began Part 2 after interval. Sir Andrew’s score again dispensed with the baroque double dots and while the smoothed out version made for easier choral entries it produced a less felicitous “Bee-hold”. Surely had a slightly harsh electronic organ sound in the mix – possibly intentionally. There was a jolly pizzicato accompaniment to All we like sheep, with a lovely tinkly glockenspiel that reminded one of sheep on a starlit hillside. Growling brass on “iniquity” was very MGM, and we are convinced we heard a “baaa” in the percussion and horn – you really have to smile! On the other hand, by comparison Thy rebuke and Behold and see, sung wrenchingly beautifully by Goodwin, used only Handel’s original string setting for the first, the second adding flute and oboe d’amore.
There were more unexpected but very effective accompaniments in the succeeding sections.Angry spiteful trombones accompanied the excellently executed fugal He trusted in God. This chorus was a highlight and vindicated Sir Andrew’s aim of giving “a biting, even brutal, tone” because “this is some of the nastiest music I know”. Great was the company and The Lord gave the word were made more exciting and urgentby tambourine, and in How beautiful are the feet from Porter (which was absolutely lovely) the violins were enhanced with marimba. Richardson’s Why do the nations included discreet but ominous/sinister side drum taps to remind us of the furies of war.
In Let them break their bonds the chorus’ cry spilled out in anger almost before Richardson had completed Why do the nations. The repeated entries of And cast away was cinematic again, with full brass accompaniment. And did we hear another cheeky woodblock clunk accompany the “rod of iron” in Thou shalt break them?
The Hallelujah chorus as usual had everyone standing (Sir Andrew’s hypothesis is that King George stood to leave after some antimonarchical sentiments!) and was pretty thrilling. Sleigh bells(!) added a celebratory note, and some added counterpoint for the horns made for a touch of Hollywood. It seemed just right for speed and splendour of sound – so accommodating in fact that there was a distinct murmur of singing-along from the audience. Fair enough too.
I know that my redeemer liveth began with a gorgeously pastoral solo clarinet and cello accompaniment, luminously sung by Porter, whose creamy clear tone, peerless legato and intonation really impressed. Sensitively accompanying strings gave an Elgarian glow to the whole. Richardson’s Behold I tell you a mystery had an inspired harp arpeggio surrounding the word “mystery”. A brave and splendid lone trumpeter (the last trump?) joined Richardson at the front of the stage for The trumpet shall sound, and here Sir Andrew hardly touched Handel’s original scoring. The final choruses were a mighty paean and very moving. Choral melismas were admirably unison, making for an exciting finale. It was a Last Night of the Proms-type ending, sleigh bells, brass and percussion giving their all.
It was clearly a mammoth labour for Sir Andrew to rework the orchestration, let alone venturing into additional inner parts and extra counterpoint. In his program notes, he says that all was done with “enormous respect, even awe”, and expresses the hope that “if any of my ideas should help to illuminate any part of it, I shall be happy”. As indeed they did for us. One’s sense of dazzlement at the constant innovations in orchestral colour transitioned gradually into a new appreciation as new layers of meaning in the text were revealed. Notwithstanding the “tsk tsks” it may elicit (tambourine? marimba? sleigh bells? Quelle horreur!), the audience clearly appreciated it, and Sir Andrew and the whole company received a well-deserved standing ovation at the conclusion.
Photo supplied.
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Kristina and Bruce Macrae reviewed “Sir Andrew’s Messiah”, performed by the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Choir at Melbourne Arts Centre, Hamer Hall on December 11, 2022.
