I Figiolini, a vocal ensemble specialising in Early music, presented a programme entitled From Venice (to Rome) With Love at St Martin-in-the-Fields featuring the sacred music of Claudio Monteverdi and the lesser-known Baroque composers, Orazio Benevoli and Giacomo Carissimi.
The singers, who have been performing for almost 40 years under the direction of Robert Hollingworth, were joined by the St Martin’s Choral Scholars and The Lyons Mouth, and all were accompanied on stage by organ, harp and chitarrone – a large medieval lute. The intimacy of the church setting, lit by candles and under soft lighting, afforded space for at least eight semi choirs who were dotted around the church and gallery, thus enveloping the rapt audience in a luscious surround of sound.
The precision and voluptuousness of the singing was undeniable. The singers not only blended seamlessly as a group, but when heard alone or in pairs, each could hold their own as soloists as well.
The surprise hit of the evening was Benevoli’s Missa Benevola which was split and performed in different movements throughout the concert. The work showcases Benevoli’s mastery of intricate counterpoint. Different choruses chase each other around the polychromatic scale, with voices soaring in harmony, creating glorious, spine-tingling moments. The exuberance of the Gloria and Sanctus contrasted beautifully with the more pleading and reflective moments in The Credo and Agnus Dei.
Monteverdi pieces were largely duets or solos, and his sextet, Adoramus te, had both a sweetness and heft. Carissimi’s Historia di Jephte ended the evening, which brought a contrasting element to the programme. It was a story with voices rather than a choral piece, and although a bit too long and perhaps undecipherable for those who didn’t have a programme, was a pleasant counterbalance to the choral works.
Hollingworth was a charming compere for the evening, informing us that the original musicians would have only seen a score that contained their single line of music, and they would not have had any rehearsals prior to performing the work. Given the complexity of the harmonies, it is almost impossible to imagine how they pulled it off. But I Fagiolini and friends certainly created a rich and charming evening for fans of Medieval and Baroque sacred music.
Friday 4 October
I Fagiolini – Robert Hollingworth, Director
Choral Scholars of St Martin-in-the-Fields – Olivia Tait, Chorusmaster
The Lyons Mouth