Bristol Choral Society and the Bristol Ensemble
Clifton Cathedral
BRISTOL Choral Society and the Bristol Ensemble were originally scheduled to perform Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Fauré’s Requiem at Bristol Cathedral in March 2020. However, due to Covid, the original concert was not able go ahead and, after several attempts at rescheduling, it finally took place on Saturday evening at Clifton Cathedral.
Although the rescheduling was unfortunate, the change of venue actually suited the music in the first half of the concert particularly well. The 1970s brutalist architecture of the cathedral seemed to complement the austerity of Stravinsky’s woodwind-heavy orchestration (the string section in the Symphony of Psalms is, unusually, comprised of only cellos and double basses).
Before the Symphony, though, we first heard Stravinsky’s Sonata for Two Pianos. I wondered whether this work would be a little lost in the reverberance of the cathedral, but pianists Steven Kings and Marija Struckova were able to control the resonance of their instruments carefully to give the piece the crispness that Stravinsky’s music requires.
The Symphony of Psalms itself was very enjoyable. It did seem that the musicians occasionally struggled to maintain a good balance between the orchestra and choir, perhaps because of the acoustics of the venue. However, if this was the case, they seemed to overcome these difficulties throughout the course of the piece. The choir’s dynamic range was impressive, and their crescendo at the end of the opening prelude was powerful enough to raise a few goosebumps. The singers brought to life Stravinsky’s complex harmonies, and the orchestral musicians got a chance to showcase their virtuosity in some of the final movement’s faster interludes.
One of the strong points of the Symphony of Psalms is how concise it is, clocking in at little over 20 minutes, but leaving a monumental impression. Some longer works can seem bloated in comparison, but this was not the case with Fauré’s Requiem. This piece similarly eschews unnecessary padding, instead focusing on memorable and emotive melodies. The addition of violins, violas and organ to the ensemble allowed the exploration of sweeter sonorities than the Stravinsky, particularly in the beautiful Sanctus, which the choir seemed to relish singing. The performance was interrupted by a few bonfire night fireworks, but the musicians dealt with this admirably and seemed unperturbed.
This was a well-balanced and enjoyable programme, and I am glad it was finally able to go ahead.
It is great that Bristol Choral Society is able to programme challenging 20th-century repertoire like the Symphony of Psalms, but also a delight to see them enjoying familiar favourites like the Requiem.