It’s been over a week since our collaborative musical performance with the Brentwood Philharmonic. The time has flown by and we in Bra-vissima in the heat and incandescence of the recent bank holiday weekend have had the opportunity to take stock of what a wonderful concert it was. This was Bra-vissima’s second partnership with the Brentwood Philharmonic and like before, the rehearsal and performance schedule was filled with enthusiasm and a passion for music making. Our Musical director Julia Wilson James led the way as always with a smile, a wink and an utter belief in our abilities.
Concert patrons were treated to a varied programme made up of orchestral performance and choral works, combining full chorale, solos and a trio.
One of the major works of the evening was a performance in the first half of eight of Canteloube’s Songs from the Auvergne, sung in the French dialect Auvergnat, and in stunning fashion by soloist Catherine Hobday.
Members of Bra-vissima were treated to its performance from the unusual position of audience, and we took full advantage by providing the orchestra and soloist with a full throated standing ovation. (We needed a vocal warm up for the second half any way.)
The second half comprised of Schubert’s Mass in G, and Debussy’s Nocturnes. Two works of exquisite variation for both the orchestra and choir to execute.
Schubert apparently composed the Mass in G in less than a week and with its 22 minute running time and set liturgical structure, Bra-vissima performed it too at a lick. This work was in stark contrast to Debussy’s lyrical and dreamlike Nocturnes. Bra-vissima’s role in Nocturnes’ third and most impressionist movement was providing a wordless sound, integral to the orchestra’s melancholic and many shifting motifs. Our voices was the shimmering sea and the song of the sirens.
Bra-vissima and orchestra conducted by the amazing Clare O’Hanlon dealt with the juxtaposition and change up of this varied programme exceedingly well and it was indeed a challenge for all involved.
Our role in this particular concert may very well have stretched beyond singing to that of chief cheerleader, siren and elevator of souls – yet our objective remained the same. We sang for Julia, we sang for ourselves – we sang as Bra-vissima.
Jo Clarke
