A COVID REQUIEM
There was something almost sacramental about this sensitively-conceived, very special concert created to commemorate those close to the CBSO “family” who have passed away since the Covid pandemic began.
The programme-book opened with many tributes to loved ones, all greatly moving, and then the hall darkened as an uninterrupted sequence of elegiac string music began.
It was striking how music of this nature transports us across the centuries. Thomas Ades’ O Albion brought surprising resonances of Elgar’s Sospiri, Arvo Part’s Fratres (Tomo Keller, director of the whole gamut, the brilliantly cross-stringing violin soloist here) evokes Vaughan Williams’ Tallis Fantasia, and Samuel Barber’s Adagio is just timeless for those it speaks to. The only exception in this group was Purcell’s Chacony, sturdy and strong, with wonderfully shaped lower strings, but even here there was a link with the Britten who made this performing version.
These offerings were interleaved with Casey Bailey, current Birmingham Poet Laureate, reading three of his highly pertinent Covid-inspired poems.
Bass James Platt took the stage for the second half beside conductor Mirga Grazinyte-Tyla, who drew wonderfully sweeping lines from the CBSO and CBSO Chorus in the Faure Requiem, powerful where appropriate, but otherwise allowing all this ineffable music’s serene reflection to tell.
Platt sang with such a tender, reassuring tone, matching that of Julian
Wilkins’ subtly-trained chorus. The Pie Jesu was sung as one by the massed ranks of the CBSO Youth Chorus and Children’s Chorus, their tone and intonation pure and sweet.
The Requiem was given here in the composer’s original orchestration, which meant violins were banished apart from a couple of solos from Keller, almost inaudible (was this deliberate?).
So we had the rare delight of the violas sitting where the firsts normally are, Chris Yates proudly tuning the orchestra. They certainly made a comfortingly rich sound in this reading which will have conveyed immense solace to so many.