Gloria!
Usher Hall 9/10/25
Scottish Chamber Orchestra, conductor Maxim Emelyanychev, SCO Chorus, chorus director Gregory Batsleer, Anna Dennis soprano, Rachel Redmond soprano, Alberto Miguélez Rouco countertenor.
Earlier this week came the welcome news that Gregory Batsleer has renewed his contract as SCO Chorus director until 2029. He has been an inspirational force for the Chorus since his appointment in 2009. In an interview about tonight’s concert he spoke about the ‘muscular sense’ of the Poulenc ‘Gloria’s’ orchestration and the challenges of a chamber orchestra and choir presenting a work usually the preserve of a symphony orchestra.
This explains why there are 60 musicians listed in the programme though the orchestration varies with each work. The concert begins with Poulenc’s earlier work, his ‘Sinfonietta’ written in 1947 as a celebration of the end of World War II. The large string forces include two basses at either side of the stage, as well as woodwind, timpani, modern horns and trumpets. Last week’s concert began with Richard Strauss’s ‘Metamorphosen’, also written, a crucial three years earlier, as a response to the unresolved war from the composer’s perspective of grief and loss, given expression in a work for strings only. In contrast. Poulenc’s composition was commissioned by the BBC to celebrate the first anniversary of the Third Programme and the post-war spirit of freedom in Europe. Although he sought to control his more idiosyncratic traits in this traditional four movement work, Poulenc was surprised at how youthful and light-hearted it remains. The first movement’s early fireworks give way to delicate sounds on the woodwinds and harp, and a cheerful bustling second movement scherzo is punctuated with impudent outbursts by horns and trumpets, recalling the rude mechanical Bottom in Mendelssohn’s ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’. In the adagio cantabile, the ‘singing’ is led by the clarinets and oboes over restrained pizzicato while few holds are barred in the très vite et trè gai finale, with shrieks from high woodwind.
The 50-plus chorus take their places in the Organ Gallery, with Anna Dennis seated to their right, behind the orchestra, now expanded to include more horns, with trombones and a tuba joining the trumpets. Poulenc’s ‘Gloria’, commissioned by a US philanthropic organisation, received its first performance by the Boston Symphony Orchestra in 1961. Settings of the Gloria are memorable parts of many Mass settings but composers from all periods have set it as a stand-alone piece. While there was no doubt about Poulenc’s religious belief, he eschewed false piety and his setting contrasts more earthly – even earthy – humour, the kind he had found in some medieval Biblical paintings, with rapturous angelic voices. The brassy opening gives way to the chorus’s unison repetition ‘Gloria in excelsis deo’. In the speedier second movement the counterpoint outbursts of ‘laudamus te’ move through the choir. Flute and oboe introduce the female soloist in ‘Domine Deus’, accompanied by female voices. Anna Dennis gives an outstanding performance, exuding warm sympathy, and pitch perfect in this high-lying part which reaches more stratospheric heights in the ‘Agnus dei’ section during which she plucks her high unaccompanied opening notes out of the air with unerring accuracy. These movements are interrupted by the brief raucous hornpipe of the ‘Domini fili’ dominated by brass and lower voices.
‘Qui sedes ad dexteram patris’ begins with unaccompanied unison lower voices, soon joined by full orchestral dissonant effects. As the volume and pace increase, the chorus and the orchestra swap alternating phrases in a breezy march. This is abruptly silenced by the soprano soloist’s ‘Amen’, followed by a capella choir. Harmonic singing with quiet string and woodwind accompaniment takes the work to a reverential conclusion. The orchestra, chorus and soloist have given an exuberant performance of this rarely played work which dazzles, entertains and also moves us in its 23 minute length.
We expected a contrast in the Vivaldi ‘Gloria’, and returning after the interval, we find Maxim Emelyanychev has set up the musicians for a more intimate performance. The orchestra has lost most of its lower strings and winds, and the remaining strings, oboe and trumpet are seated round the harpsichord, pipe organ and theorbo. 30 chorus member are in a single row seated on a U-shaped platform surrounding the instrumentalists. Vivaldi’s ‘Gloria’ probably written for his female students at the Ospedale della Pieta, was lost for over 200 years, its current popularity dating back only to the 1950s. Although we don’t know what the original instrumentation was, most versions have trumpet(s) and oboes(s). Tonight, I think we have one of each, tucked away in the back of the orchestra, so expecting the clear sound of trumpeters, heard in recorded versions of the distinctive opening, I need a few minutes to adjust to a subtler effect!
The clarity and precision of the chorus, the quality of the SCO’s upper strings and Maxim Emelyanychev himself on harpsichord provide the distinctive sounds of this ‘Gloria’. Maxim often plays along with the orchestra as he did in the EIF ‘La Clemenza di Tito’ as well as working with Eligio Quinteiro on theorbo, a bassist and a cellist in the continuo group. Vivaldi’s work is in 12 movements, but none of them hang around for long, so the sense of cheerful harmonic and melodic invention is always present.
The three soloists have arias which are influenced both by opera and church music. The ‘Laudamus te’ features an upbeat operatic duet for Anna Dennis and Rachel Redmond, their voices echoing and blending delightfully. Sadly, this is that fine singer Rachel Redmond’s only contribution to the evening. Anna Dennis sings her solo ‘Domine Deus’, accompanied by José Masmano Villar on modern oboe, standing beside her, and the continuo group, a slow aria which provides a quiet centre to the cantata. Alberto Miguelez Rouco is joined by cello, and later chorus in ‘Domine Deus Agnus Dei.’ The Spanish countertenor has some fine recordings to his name and a good stage presence, but in this aria and the more elaborate ‘Qui sedet’, he seems nervous and a little underpowered. He will have better days!
But the work mostly belongs to the chorus. Though less dazzling than the Poulenc the same security and conviction remain in the singing. Heavier stern unison sections change to lighter counterpoint in the blink of an eye. A shortened version of the opening ‘Gloria in excelsis deo’ leads to the final ‘Cum sancto spiritu’, with gorgeous parts for trumpet and oboe - a lovely rich sound through the orchestra and chorus.
The enthusiastic ovation sees some of the audience on their feet. Gregory Batsleer takes his rightful applause with the rest of the performers in this ‘Baroque Inspirations’ for orchestra and chorus.
‘La Clemenza di Tito’ recorded at the Usher Hall in August is a terrific performance by the SCO, conducted by Maxim Emelyanychev, the Chorus and soloists and is available on BBC Sounds until 20th October.
