The Melbourne Town Hall and St Paul’s Cathedral might be the customary home of the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Choir and Orchestra, but All Saints Anglican Church, East St Kilda was an excellent choice for a selection of fourteen often very short works and a Te Deum by the great Austrian composer, Anton Bruckner (1824-1896). Smaller in scale, it is still a spacious and beautiful venue, with a good organ and a fairly resonant acoustic despite the carpeted areas. The fact that the opening of All Saints in 1861 coincided with the exact midpoint of Bruckner’s life is a nice piece of synchronicity.
In his introduction to the final item before interval, the antiphon, Ecce sacerdos magnus, the RMP’s Artistic Director and Chief Conductor, Andrew Wailes, invited us to imagine ourselves in a magnificent European cathedral. The text of this splendid work, scored for double choir, organ and three trombones, is associated with the grand entrance of a bishop, and we were to imagine him entering in his opulent golden regalia. The very opening is reminiscent of Handel’s coronation anthem “Zadok the Priest” in its dramatic power with a fortissimo “Behold a great priest …”, followed by contrasting sections in which Bruckner uses a wide range of dynamics. Some of the most striking effects came when the organ and brass stopped playing, which served to put the choral sound into sharper relief.
It was a long first half, but time seemed to fly because of the variety between and often within the items. Appropriately, given that Bruckner was initially most renowned for his organ improvisations, the concert opened with an organ solo: Perger Praeludium in C major – strangely, one of only a few compositions that Bruckner wrote for solo organ. Much of Bruckner’s output moves at a fairly slow, stately pace to accommodate the three-second acoustic delay of cavernous cathedrals. In this and subsequent works for or including organ, Andrew Bainbridge made imaginative use of the capabilities of the All Saints’ organ. This was particularly prominent in the Te Deum for which appropriate and colourful registrations were often orchestral in their impact.
Following the Praeludium, members of the choir, who had been sitting in the side sections of the church, arranged themselves on rises at the front while Andrew Wailes spoke about the music. It is true that much of what he said could be read in the highly informative program notes – always among the best of any organisation in Melbourne – but his enthusiasm, knowledge and personal connection experience enabled listeners to engage with the music at a deeper level. There was a great deal of coming and going by the choir between items, but movement was always carried out with quiet efficiency.
The first choral item, the short, unaccompanied motet Locus iste a Deo factus est (This place was made by God) is considered the most famous setting of this text and is also possibly Bruckner’s most famous motet. A beautifully blended reverential tone was initially established, then increased in intensity to display some wonderfully crystalline high notes from the sopranos and good lower resonance from the basses – reassuring in the light of what was demanded of the singers for the Te Deum. Bruckner must have had extraordinary choristers, especially soprano voices, at his disposal if you consider the impossible tessitura at the end of the Te Deum, with its string of sustained high notes culminating in a sustained high C. Frightening stuff. Accomplished as the RMP sopranos are, having the soloists, notably Helena Dix, join them for the finale must have been most welcome.
Several works for three trombones, beginning with two Aequali from Bruckner’s youth, displayed increasing assurance with precise chording and integrated tone. Listening to the slow progression of harmonies would have been an unexpected pleasure for listeners unfamiliar with these short pieces.
Then it was back to the choir, this time accompanied by organ and three trombones, for the motet Afferentur regi (Led by the king). Again, the sopranos impressed with shining tone and the basses with some solid low notes, while tenors and basses sang with commendable vigour and clarity.
Following the short Fugue in D minor for organ (composed in 1861! no less), we heard what was a mini highlight of the concert: the antiphon Tota pulchra es, Maria (Thou art fair, O Mary) for organ, choir and tenor soloist. Michael Petruccelli’s fine lyrical tenor voice was most appealing as he sang a series of statements that were repeated and developed by the choir. Beginning with unaccompanied choir, the work is arresting in its construction and emotional striving.
Four trombones were joined by two trumpets and a horn for a transcription for brass of Christus factus est, and we heard some satisfyingly unified playing as the instruments slowly moved through a succession of dynamic layers. Further intriguing effects were to be wondered at as the brass joined the choir for Os justi meditabitur, a setting of two verses of Psalm 37.
Anyone drawn to this concert by a combination of one of the greatest works of the choral repertoire and an internationally acclaimed soprano would not have been disappointed. Helena Dix more than lived up to her reputation, her refined soprano soaring effortlessly. Although the soprano has more to sing, the tenor part is prominent and extremely challenging in its repeated leaps to top notes near the beginning of the “Salvum fac populum tuum, Domine (Make your people safe, Lord). Petruccelli did not flinch, landing safely each time and singing with authority. Baritone Christopher Hillier was also presented with some extremely low notes, which he managed convincingly, and was a strong presence in all the ensembles. As alto soloist, mezzo-soprano Dimity Shepherd, always an ardent singer with a lovely rich tone, completed the lineup of fine soloists.
We might not have had the full symphonic treatment for what Bruckner referred to as “the pride of my life”, but this performance of his Te Deum honoured the work in its serious attention to detail and skill of execution. The ending was thrilling, what with the sopranos spinning stratospheric top notes while the basses plumbed subterranean depths with the help of organ heft and Simon Baldwin’s sonorous bass trombone. It was 25 minutes of distilled musical wonders.
Photo credit: Paul Dodd
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Heather Leviston reviewed “Bruckner’s Te Deum and Motets”, presented by the Royal Melbourne Philharmonic at All Saints Anglican Church, East St Kilda, on September 30, 2023.
