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| Yuval Nuri Shem-Tov, Maestro Saleem Aboud Ashkar,Nassif Francis,Michal Beck (Yoel Levy) |
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| Nour Darwish,Doreen Sassine,Saleem Aboud Ashkar,Eitan Drori,Oded Reich (Yoel Levy) |
Taking place on December 20th 2024, "Out of the Depths" was one of the events of the Nazareth Liturgical Festival. Due to security concerns, the sixth annual Nazareth Liturgical Festival (musical director/founder Nabeel Aboud Ashkar), was held December 20th-24th at the historic YMCA compound in Jerusalem, offering concerts of chamber- and liturgical music, art, and a Christmas market. The Galilee Chamber Orchestra, the Israel Vocal Ensemble and vocal- and instrumental soloists were conducted by Saleem Aboud Ashkar. They were joined by Aviad Stier (harpsichord/organ.) Opening the evening's event, Prof. Bassila Bawardi, a member of the board of directors of Polyphony Education, spoke of performing music together as a common language between Jews and Arabs. Nabeel Aboud Ashkar, the executive director of Polyphony Education, refers to the organization’s mission as bridging the divide between Arab and Jewish communities in Israel through music, serving as a worldwide model for cooperation based on cultural exchange, dialogue and partnership.
"Out of the Depths" opened with
Concerto Grosso No.11, Op.3 of Antonio Vivaldi. Joining the small string
ensemble with continuo (Stier on harpsichord), the concertino consisted of
violinists Yuval Nuri Shem-Tov and Nassif Francis and 'cellist Michal Beck.
Energy, boldness and attention to fine detail characterised the performance,
as, following the introduction of short segments, the opening Allegro presented
a canonic dialogue between the two solo violins, a vivacious episode for solo
'cello and continuo, a brief recitative and a fiery fugue. Following the gently
lilting and subtly ornamented playing of the siciliano-styled Adagio e spiccato
("spiccato" here suggesting a manner of separated playing rather than
the bouncing of the bow), the combative mood of the last movement, much
like that of the first, was sustained with intensity. Indeed, the twelve
concertos of Vivaldi's L'Estro Armonico, Op. 3, created a huge sensation when
they were published in Amsterdam in 1711, the 11th of the set causing the
biggest stir of all! The Galilee Orchestra and the young soloists'
exhilarating, involved performance reflected the vitality and freshness of
Vivaldi’s invention, the young members of the concertino’s playing brimming
with brilliance and dramatic flair.
A few more players then filled out the ensemble on stage. They were joined by the Israeli Vocal Ensemble (music director Yuval Ben Ozer) and vocal soloists Nour Darwish (soprano), Doreen Sassine (alto), Eitan Drori (tenor) and Oded Reich (baritone) for the performance of J.S.Bach's Cantata BWV 131 "Aus der Tiefen" (Out of the Depths). The earliest major work by Bach to survive in manuscript, a work from the very beginning of Bach’s career as organist in Mühlhausen (1707-8), this cantata draws its text from two different sources - Psalm 130 and the chorale “Herr Jesu Christ, du höchstes Gut” (Lord Jesus Christ, you highest good) by Bartholomäus Ringwaldt. It has been assumed that Bach wrote the cantata as part of a penitential memorial for the 1707 fire that devastated Mühlhausen. Via the rich imagery of the music, the text's deep despair emerged with a sense of urgency, the interweaving of different texts beautifully implemented by young, richly timbred voices of Oded Reich and Nour Darwish in Movement 2. Following the IVE's finely delineated and well-shaped singing of "Ich harre des Herrn" (I await the Lord), the mood begins to change. In a shift to a more hopeful spirit, Eitan Drori gave meaning to the longing expressed in the tenor aria. In the duet of Movement 4, Drori's bright tenor voice and Doreen Sassine's true alto timbre created an interesting (somewhat acute) contrast. With elegance and subtle balance, Maestro Aboud Ashkar gave expression to the 22-year-old Bach's skilful use of text, the composer’s multi-faceted canvas and its contrasts, all endorsed by fine, tasteful instrumental performance, with some splendid oboe playing.
The concert concluded with J.S.Bach's
Cantata BWV 140 "Wachet auf! ruft uns die Stimme (Awake! the voice calls
to us), deservedly recognised as one of Bach's best-known and loved pieces. The
opening chorus, a stately chorale fantasia of imposing writing, provided
another opportunity to appreciate the Israel Vocal Ensemble's artistry, the
sopranos' smooth, floating singing of the chorale melody uncluttered by
vibrato. In the famous middle movement, setting the second verse of the
chorale, with unison violins and viola playing an independent melodic line,
three IVE tenors presenting the chorale melody might have benefitted
from a fourth voice. Following Drori's articulate story-telling in the tenor
recitative, "Er kommt" (He comes), the Movement 3 duet, with violin
obbligato (concert master), displayed Darwish's fine vocal and emotional presence and Reich's
marvellous vocal colours and the convincing way in which he shapes words into
musical sounds and meaning. In Movement 6, their splendid dueting was joined by
expressive oboe playing. The work concluded with the third and last verse of
the chorale text, a majestic Gloria in a simple four-voice harmonization.
An evening of enjoyment and excellent
performance!
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