Tage Alter Musik – Almanach 2018

Ariosa using no fewer than eight differently tuned violins (with six in scordatura tun- ings), carefully laid out in order on benches to either side of them. Accompanied by a continuo group of cello, violone/lira da gamba, harpsichord/organ, and lute, they ex- plored the extraordinary range of musical textures and exotic sounds that Biber con- jures up in the four contrasting pieces. Each has its own distinctive election of move- ments, ending in a substantial piece like the Passacaglia or Ciacona that ended the open- ing and concluding Partitas. This excellent concert combined outstanding technical ability and an attractive entertaining ap- proach to music making. Their continuo re- alisations were particularly well thought out. Biber’s thrilling, and often wild writing in the distinctive Stylus phantasticus genre was aided by the distant sound of the cathedral bells after the Pentecost Mass, and the sound of the Rathaus clock striking 12. For their encore, they managed to get the entire audi- ence humming an ostinato bass – a fitting end to a spellbinding concert. The early afternoon concert was (in the Gothic Minoritenkirche) was a curious affair. Given by la camera Delle lacrime it was devoted to music from the late 14th-century le livre vermell de montserrat. Included in the manuscript are a variety of songs for pilgrims, which the compiler states were in- cluded “ Because the pilgrims wish to sing and dance while they keep their watch at night in the church of the Blessed Mary of Montserrat “. It is stressed that “. . . no songs should be sung unless they are chaste and pious . . . these should be used modestly, and take care that no one who keeps watch in prayer and contem- plation is disturbed “. These instructions had escaped the notice of director Bruno Bon- houre, whose performance was about as far frommodest as you could get, with his cring- ing look-at-me antics. Directing a local choir with the subtlety of an officious traffic cop, he stopped at nothing to make his presence felt (and heard), acting more like a down- market TV entertainer than a serious musi- cian. He gave the impression of trying to in- timidate his fellow musicians, pretending to hit the lute player with a drumstick, telling off one of the local amateur choir members, and making a point of giving the soprano soloist her note, when it had already been provided, delicately, by the dulcimer player. The weird hand actions of the choir were choreographed by an ‘artistic director’, Khaï- dong Luong, and mostly involved the sort of movements normally reserved for the under- 5s. So all respect to the six musicians and the large local choir who put up with all this non- sense and, despite all the distractions, played well, particularly Gayané Doneyan and andrewbensonwilson.org 10 Vox Luminis in St. Emmeram Foto: Bernhard Kaiser La Camera delle Lacrime Foto: Peter Ferstl