Review: Gloria! – ERCU & Brussels Choral Society at the Usher Hall

Mid-afternoon on Mothering Sunday at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall. Would all the mums be feasting with their families elsewhere, or would two pieces of sacred music on a Christian festival pull them in? The venue wasn’t packed to the rafters, but there was a pretty decent turnout given the competing options open to families across the city. The ‘Gods’ had a fair smattering of people, fittingly.

A Formidable Choral Force at the Usher Hall

Although the programme headlined Poulenc before Bruckner, the concert actually began with the latter. The massed ranks of the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union (ERCU) and the Brussels Choral Society (BCS) numbered over 150, filling the choir stalls to capacity. Add the Orchestra of Scottish Opera and the four soloists of the Solas Ensemble, and it was quite a sight to behold. We know the ERCU can sing—established in 1858, they’ve been performing Handel’s Messiah at the Usher Hall since the late 1880s—and this collaboration with the BCS, formed much more recently in 1979, held great promise. As long as conductor Michael Bawtree could bring it all together.

The programme was titled Gloria!, raising expectations of something, well, glorious, whether or not you already knew the pieces. Occasional attendees at classical concerts might not have encountered Poulenc before, and sacred music isn’t to everyone’s taste—or at least, they might think it isn’t. Mass in D minor wouldn’t necessarily fill the heart of a reluctant concert-goer with immediate joy or hope. I’m guessing the expectation would be something solemn and a bit heavy. Or just plain boring. This was not the case…

Bruckner’s Mass in D Minor: Defying Expectations

Bruckner was born in 1824 and didn’t write this piece until just after he turned 40. Greatly influenced by Haydn, the Mass in D minor nevertheless shows the creeping influence of Wagner on Bruckner’s composition by this stage. Fear not: this is not ‘Wagnerian’ in a way that might put the faint-hearted off. It’s expressive, intense, and dramatic, and the symphonic nature of its composition certainly makes it accessible.

Whether or not you learnt Latin at school, the sentiment of each movement is clearly expressed through the music. The singing was sublime, and the diction top-notch. I absolutely hate not being able to hear the words being sung, and thankfully, I had no cause for complaint here. The four soloists—all recent graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland—were excellent too, never overwhelmed by either the choirs or the orchestra.

…this collaboration with the BCS, formed much more recently in 1979, held great promise. As long as conductor Michael Bawtree could bring it all together.

If you thought you were in for a sombre fifty minutes, you would almost certainly have been both surprised and elighted. Bruckner was considered rather an odd character on the outside of Vienna’s polite society, famously described by conductor Hans von Bülow as “half genius, half simpleton”. He lived a simple life, was devout, and was old-fashioned in his appearance—perhaps leading to the “simpleton” epithet—yet seemingly almost from nowhere, his mainly symphonic works are undeniably “genius”.

Poulenc appears to have been a bit of a character too. Born into a wealthy and pious family, his upbringing fostered a mixture of deep religious faith and a much more worldly, artistic influence; musicologist Claude Rostand famously described him as “half monk, half naughty boy”. His Gloria was composed in 1959 when he was 60, and it demonstrates both the sacred and secular aspects of his nature. As well as being dramatic, it shows huge playfulness and vivacity, especially in the second and fourth movements. The third and fifth movements are dominated by soprano solos. This was Katie Carmichael’s chance to shine, and my word, she did. Her voice was clear, her diction precise, and again, she was in no way overwhelmed by the chorus or orchestra.

The singing was sublime, and the diction top-notch. I absolutely hate not being able to hear the words being sung, and thankfully, I had no cause for complaint here. The four soloists—all recent graduates of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland—were excellent too, never overwhelmed by either the choirs or the orchestra.

So, the programme itself was a delight in that it wasn’t just made up of the usual crowd-pleasers. It would have introduced any inquisitive—but perhaps relatively new-to-classical-music—audience member to a different repertoire, which I doubt would have disappointed. The orchestra and chorus were superb, the wall of sound both impressive and uplifting, and the soloists absolutely on point.

Michael Bawtree’s Masterful Direction

And, of course, the conductor—Michael Bawtree—should not be forgotten. It was an afternoon concert, so evening dress was not de rigueur, but I did wonder about Bawtree’s blue suede shoes and jazzy brocade waistcoat. I very quickly forgot all about them, however, when the music began, and the whole ensemble played and sang as one under his baton. He’s a lively and seemingly tireless conductor, and his evident love of modern classical music perhaps contributed to the contemporary feel of these pieces.

I’ll close with a call to (musical arms): don’t be afraid or put off if you don’t think you know much about classical music, or fear you’d feel out of place. Grab yourself a ticket, pick up a (in this case, free) programme, read a bit more about what you’ve just heard later, and just ENJOY. That’s what music is all about. It’s good for the soul, secular and sacred alike.

Featured Image: ERCU Messiah