"Under Her Wings" - the Jerusalem Vocal Consort and Nari Baroque Ensemble in a joint performance at the Dormition Abbey, Jerusalem

 

Recorder:Naomi Hassoun,Jerusalem Vocal Consort © Basilius Schiel OSB,Dormition Abbey, Jerusalem

The Nari Ensemble and the Jerusalem Vocal Consort joined forces to perform "Under Her Wings" at the Dormition Abbey (Mt. Zion, Jerusalem) on May 27th, 2024. The evening's program centred around Giacomo Carissimi's oratorio "Regina Hester". Today, Carissime's "Jephte", "Ionas" and "Job" are familiar to aficionados of Italian Baroque sacred choral music; "Regina Hester", however, is relatively unknown to audiences. A work exemplifying the unique style developed by the cardinalate nobility in mid-17th century Rome and Carissimi's establishment of the characteristics of the Latin oratorio genre, the oratorio tells the story of Esther, the Jewish queen of Persia. The text is a free adaptation (probably Carissimi's own) of the biblical story (some sections of which do not appear in the oratorio.) As to the passages of the Bible told by the narrator (Historicus), here we heard excerpts read in Hebrew by Naomi Hassoun. With Carissimi's oratorios surviving in manuscript only, indications as to instrumentation are few and far between. For this concert, the Nari Ensemble consisted of soprano Liron Givoni, Naomi Hassoun (recorders), Guy Pardo (harpsichord) and guest player Yulia Lurye (Baroque violin). (Nari Baroque 'cellist Yotam Haran was in absentia). Vocal soloists were Liron Givoni (Aman/Hester) and Jerusalem Vocal Consort members Dmitrii Negrimovskii, Yael Dushy, Michael Bachner and Kristina Geldman. What was unique to this performance was that the oratorio's four Acts were interspersed by other works, an interesting approach and one indeed proving effective, allowing for the proceedings of each Act to settle before being followed by the next. Elegantly shaped recitatives moved in and out of the arioso, with choruses emerging crisp and with a sense of immediacy. Displaying fine vocal facility, the soloists sang with commitment. In her substantial role, Givoni's performance was involved and imposing. Not to be ignored were the instrumentalists, whose playing vividly reflected the dramatic course. Despite the minimal choral and instrumental forces at hand, the contrast and pomp threaded through the work emerged powerfully. The performance highlighted Carissimi's word-painting, placing clear focus on dramatic delivery of the text, reflecting its pictorial and rhetorical aspects, as, for example, in Haman's savage command to expel the Jews from Persia - "expelliatur, dissipetur, prosternatur, extirpetur" (be expelled, scattered, destroyed, extirpated).

 

 

Carissimi's Recorder Sonata in D minor was found in a 1698 manuscript collection of C. Babell - "Album of Selected Pieces for One or Two Flutes". The performance of it by Yael Hassoun and Guy Pardo was a veritable meeting of minds - articulate, well contrasted and peppered with attractive ornamentation. Hassoun 's expressive reading was well paired with Pardo's imaginative delivery on the Dormition Abbey's Sassmann harpsichord. As with the oratorio, the movements were also spread throughout the program.

 

 

As to other choral pieces, we heard two Psalm settings of two French composers. Arguably the greatest composer of French "grands motets", Michel-Richard de Lalande wrote an expansive, intensive setting of the "Miserere" (1687). In this, his most celebrated motet, a setting of the penitential Psalm 51, Givoni's singing expressed the text's exigency. Henry Du Mont's choral "Cantate Domino" (Psalm 96) was given a rousing rendition.

 

 

The program included two works from Op.12 of Heinrich Schütz’ "Symphoniæ Sacræ III" - "Der Herr ist mein Hirt" (The Lord is my shepherd) SWV 398 (Psalm 23) and "Siehe, wie fein und lieblich ist's" (How good and pleasant it is) SWV 48 (Psalm 133).  Performing these small masterpieces, the artists struck a fine balance between the energy and colour of Schütz' Italian models and the restraint and solemnity of the German Lutheran tradition. The Dormition Abbey resonated with the works' abundance of harmonic colour, textural detail and rhythmic vitality, displaying their grand statement as well as their intimate sentiments.

 

Built on land German Emperor Wilhelm II received from the Ottoman Sultan on his visit to the Holy Land in 1898, the Abbey of the Dormition was inaugurated in 1910. It is an architectural masterpiece. Enhanced with beautiful mosaics, the church's interest, beauty and serenity create one of Jerusalem's most inspiring locations to visit. Performing music of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, the Jerusalem Vocal Consort (conductor: Yael Dushy, assistant conductor: Rotem Kidron) comprises twelve young singers, who are vocally competent and stylistically informed. Uncluttered by vibrato, their choral sound is whistle-clean, fresh and punctiliously blended. Established in 2019, the Nari Ensemble specializes in the performance of Baroque music. Inspired by historical performance practice, the members' presentation of vocal- and instrumental works displays insight, deep enquiry and excellence.

Guy Pardo, Liron Givoni © Basilius Schiel OSB, Dormition Abbey, Jerusalem