The Philharmonia Choir Of Cape Town

In a programme entitled “Tribute to Haydn” the death of the composer 200 years ago was commemorated on Saturday evening by the Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town together with Camerata Tinta Barocca and four soloists. The conductor was Antoinette Blyth.

The first part of the programme consisted of Haydn's short motet Insanae et Vanae Curae and two works by Mozart: Ave Verum Corpus for soprano, choir and orchestra, and the motet Exultate Jubilate. The concluding Alleluia for the soprano is particularly well-known. The soloist was Runette Botha.

Botha has a beautiful voice. The interpretation of the Ave Verum Corpus and the first two parts of Exultate Jubilate were most successful. The sound of her voice, pure and sweet, soared beautifully above the orchestra. However the choice of tempo for the Alleluia was too cautious. The runs were not brilliant or scintillating, and there was but little excitement.

An exception was the shining high C at the second last note.

There was much more excitement after the interval. Haydn's Mass no.10 in C major (Mass in a Time of War) was performed with great commitment. The conductor's choice of tempi for the different sections was on target, and the sound of the choir ranged from intimately soft to powerful and hot-blooded.

There were a few passages where choir and orchestra threatened to get out of step, but the conductor succeeded in warding off the threats.

The four soloists, Botha, Elizabeth Frandsen (alto), Sunnyboy Dladla (tenor) and Thato Machona (bass) were a further asset. They shone in their respective solo moments and formed an effective ensemble in the quartet sections.

In the striking bass solo, Qui tollis peccata mundi, a richer tone quality could have been provided by the solo cello.

This was a worthy tribute to Franz Joseph Haydn by the Philharmonia Choir, and the choir and all the other artists can be justly proud of it."

A translation of the Burger crit follows:

Popular ‘Messiah’ agreeably performed
Wayne Muller

CLASSICAL MUSIC: Messiah by G.F.Handel. The Philharmoina Choir of Cape Town and the Camerata Tinta Barocca with Antoinette Blyth (conductor), and soloists Magdalene Minnaar (soprano), Elizabeth Frandsen (mezzo soprano), Arthur Swan (tenor) and Njabulo Mthimkhulu (bass). In the Cape Town City Hall.

Handel’s Messiah is undoubtedly the composer’s most popular work, enchanting audiences for centuries. In my opinion, other of his oratorios include far more beautiful arias and choir work, but it is decidedly Messiah which has always, since its first performance in 1742 in Dublin, found great acclaim with audiences.

Handel repeatedly introduced changes, and these are performed and included in various forms and interpretations today. These days it is again the fashion to perform the work with a small orchestra and choir, as Handel did also in Dublin.

On Good Friday (and Easter Sunday) Capetonians actually heard a performance with a small orchestra, Camerata Tinta Barocca, and the Philharmonia Choir with 90 members. This was something of a contradiction, because such an “authentic interpretation” requires also a small choir. But it is certainly understandable that the choir could not summarily be halved, but they alas drowned out the orchestra in the loud passages. With so many singers it was rather difficult to perfect the lighter touch.

Their singing was nevertheless of the highest quality and the “Hallelujah” chorus was again a hit. For the more difficult choir sections, such as “He trusted in God” and “The Lord gave the word” they deserve praise.
Magdalene Minnaar’s soprano voice was clear throughout, and her “I know that my Redeemer liveth” was a pleasure. Mezzo soprano Elizabeth Frandsen’s legato singing in the arias and the stylish interpretation of the recitative found favour. Her lower register was powerful and glowing.
Arthur Swan’s light tenor voice suits Handel’s music well, and especially in “Thy rebuke” carried the music along. The bass Njabulo Mthimkhulu’s singing was outstanding, although the orchestra rather drowned him in “The trumpet shall sound”.

Although the usual omissions were made, such as the duet “O death where is thy sting?” and the aria “If God be for us”, it was pleasant that the de capo arias were sung in full. In addition, the inclusion of the bass version of “Thou art gone up on high” was a pleasure.

Now I just hope that next year we can hear the duet version of “How beautiful are the feet” and the chorus which follows, “Break forth into joy”.

J.S.Bach’s Christmas Oratorio

Choir and orchestra deliver fresh Bach oratorio

Classical music: J.S.Bach’s Christmas Oratorio. With the Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town and the Camerata Tinta Barocca under the direction of Kǻre Hanken and soloists Magdalene Minnaar (soprano), Janelle Visagie (mezzosoprano), Nicholas Nicolaidis (tenor) and Hendré van Zyl (baritone). In the Cape Town City Hall.

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio consists of six cantatas on different themes. Although the themes subordinately relate to each other, they are nevertheless separate sections, especially musically speaking. Therefore this work is, strictly speaking, not an oratorio forming a liturgical whole. The Christmas Oratorio was composed in 1734 for the six festival days of Christmas. The music comprises numerous choral parts, some of which are known as church hymns. Some of the music Bach borrowed from elsewhere and he sometimes also repeats musical themes in the different sections.
On Thursday night, the Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town performed the first three cantatas which, most appropriately, covered the Advent and birth of Jesus.
The choir fared well throughout and the clear diction of the German text impressed especially.
The conductor, Kǻre Hanken, is a Norwegian choral director who has worked with numerous South African choirs. His control over the singers is exceptional.
The sopranos unfortunately sounded uncertain in the chorus “Er ist auf Erden”, where they sang throughout on their own. While the tenors were very few, they could nevertheless hold their own against the other voice parts.
The Camerata Tinta Barocca’s accompaniment and fresh playing was of a high quality. In particular, the symphony introducing the second cantata was moving.
The soprano Magdalene Minnaar unfortunately had little chance to sing – only a recitative, a duet and in the ensemble at the end of the third cantata. Her clear voice was nevertheless welcome.
Janelle Visagie impressed with fine legato singing, especially in the lovely “Schlafe, mein Liebster”. One cannot detect the register breaks in her voice and, on top of that, the repertory suits her.
Nicholas Nicolaidis’s tenor voice was a little tentative in the high register, particularly in the recitative. He is also inclined to slide over his consonants. In English it would probably have been less worrying, but German has strong consonants which have to be emphasised.
Hendré van Zyl’s voice was sometimes too light, but he nevertheless sang well.
He sounds to me like a “lazy tenor”, a baritone with a light timbre which, with a bit of hard work, could lift his voice to the tenor range.

Wayne Muller in “Die Burger” (translated from Afrikaans)
Rossinis Petite Messe Solennelle
With two pianos and organ, played respectively by Victor Tichart, Sandra Kettle, and Grant Brasler. Soloists Magdalene Minnaar (soprano), Elizabeth Frandsen (contralto), Nicholas Nicolaidis (tenor) and Conroy Scott (bass).
Conducted by Barry Smith.
Thank you again for the invitation to attend the concert. And thank you also for continuing to provide Cape Town with such beautiful music.
Concerning Rossini's Mass, not much to say except generally well done! I was particularly impressed with the warm, round tone that was produced throughout. I also sensed a good understanding of chorale singing, being part of a team that is interested in the overall result, rather than just my little part!
Barry Smith did a good job of eliciting effective use of dynamics.
Just again a pity there are relatively few tenors! This was especially notable in the part work of the Cum Sancto Spiritu. Then again, we all know tenors are as scarce as chicken's teeth, so let's treasure those we have!
The soloists - vocal and instrumentalists - were great. I was particularly impressed with the wonderfully warm tone of Elizabeth Frandsen.
Carl Fourie

Tribute Concert for Barry Smith

With the Cape Philharmonic Orchestra, the St. George’s Singers, the Philharmonia Choir of Cape Town and two vocal soloists, Zanne Stapelberg (soprano) and Andre Howard (bass). Conducted by Donald Hunt
City Hall, Cape Town
3 February 2007

Saturday night’s concert in the City Hall was a tribute to Barry Smith to celebrate his considerable contribution to the musical life of Cape Town.

The first work was Hubert Parry’s setting for choir and orchestra of Milton’s Blest Pair of Sirens, featuring the two choirs with orchestra conducted by Donald Hunt. The dense texture of the eight-part choral writing was at times overshadowed by the excessive power of the orchestra.

Elgar’s Pomp and Circumstance March no.4, first performed a century ago in 1907, was at that time received with great enthusiasm. The orchestra and Hunt, however, had to settle here for a more subdued audience response to this march from an era whose glory has departed.

It was not a pleasure to listen to Stanford’s Songs of the Sea, with baritone André Howard, male-voice chorus and orchestra. The work is unremarkable, and the performance left an impression of less than thorough preparation. The partial derailment at one point did not help either.

The four choral songs by Elgar that followed were much more successful. Here Barry Smith conducted the St. George’s Singers. One could immediately sense how much more effective was Elgar’s approach to melody, texture and contrast as compared to that of Stanford. Unfortunately the quiet opening passage was marred by the ringing of a cell-phone.

After the interval we heard Handel, Brahms and Dvorak. First was Handel’s Zadok the Priest, composed for the coronation of George II and sung at every subsequent British coronation. Then followed Handel’s Organ Concerto Op. 7, no. 6, with Barry Smith as soloist. Particularly noteworthy was the lovely optional middle movement.

Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen from Brahms’ German Requiem was excellently performed by the combined forces of choirs and orchestra in a reading that was truly heart-warming. A further highlight was Dvorak’s Te Deum, which brought the programme to a close. Here Howard’s voice was shown off to good effect, yet it was soprano Zanne Stapelberg’s glorious contribution that stood out. This exuberant concluding fare was exciting and an appropriate salute to Barry Smith for his valuable contributions to local music-making for over 40 years.

Pieter Kooij in “Die Burger”

Brahms Requiem

City Hall, Cape Town
With Cape Philharmonic Orchestra with soloists Zanne Stapelberg (soprano) and Andre Howard (bass). Conducted by Dr Donald Hunt
June 2005

The Brahms was beautifully sung. My personal favourite was the inexorable power of the second movement. The unison singing and climax was astoundingly powerful - a truly moving performance.

However, the sopranos to me are still too thin on the ground. The opening of the Brahms they fluffed twice on top notes that they didn't comfortably manage, and in the third their top notes were strained and flat. Furthermore, individual voices in the sopranos stick out, which is not what choir work is about.

The other voices were good. The fugal sections of the third movement showed individual strength and melodic lines were clearly audible. The fugal sections of the sixth movement were less compelling.

Another pleasing aspect of the singing was the constructive use of dynamics. I have already mentioned the second movement, but the fourth also - with accurate use of accents and crescendi
- was a delight to listen to.

Andre Howard is an asset to any performance. He sings emotively, has a brilliant tone of voice that is well controlled, and projects well. He is wonderful to listen to.

Zanne Stapelberg I felt was more successful in the Te Deum than in the Requiem. Her diction was clearer in the latter, and she seemed more emotionally involved as well. Projection was also better in the latter. She too has a pleasant voice.I felt the Serenade for Strings was under rehearsed - there were spots where things could have been more controlled.

The orchestra generally played well and followed Donald's direction clearly. However, six first violins are just not sufficient to cope with the powerful forces of a massed choir, organ and brass in dynamically strong sections. The result is a sound product that is not melodically dominant.

So too a zesty trombonist in the second movement of the Brahms overpowered everything else. By contrast the organ underpinned the bass lines with subtle but effective force.

Carl Fourie – Argus June 2005

Thank you again for the invitation to attend the concert. And thank you also for continuing to provide Cape Town with such beautiful music.

Concerning Rossini's Mass, not much to say except generally well done! I was particularly impressed with the warm, round tone that was produced throughout. I also sensed a good understanding of chorale singing, being part of a team that is interested in the overall result, rather than just my little part!

Barry Smith did a good job of eliciting effective use of dynamics.

Just again a pity there are relatively few tenors! This was especially notable in the part work of the Cum Sancto Spiritu. Then again, we all know tenors are as scarce as chicken's teeth, so let's treasure those we have!

The soloists - vocal and instrumentalists - were great. I was particularly impressed with the wonderfully warm tone of Elizaberh Frandsen.

Carl Fourie