The idea for the small choir, ORA http://orasingers.co.uk
grew out of the belief that we are entering a second Renaissance in choral
composition. Part of this belief includes the commissioning of choral works
from some of the world’s most exciting composers, works that reflect on
Renaissance masterpieces.
Directed by Suzi Digby www.suzidigby.com
, ORA is a professional a cappella vocal ensemble that seeks to captivate
audiences with the highest standards of musical excellence combined with a
fresh and engaging approach to performance. ORA gathers together some of the
UK’s leading ensemble singers. All of the singers within the group have
performed with the leading professional choirs in Europe
ORA make use of professional Stage Directors and Designers
to produce full productions rather than just traditional concerts. They have planned
an ambitious programme of two recordings each year for their first five years
with each album containing new commissions.
Following up on their
enthusiastically received debut disc Upheld
By Stillness, ORA’s latest release from Harmonia Mundi http://ukstore.harmoniamundi.com is
entitled Refuge from the Flames.
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| HMW 906103 |
Whatever one’s religious beliefs - or none - it is difficult
to argue with Girolamo Savonarola’s (1452-1498)
motto taken from Psalm 132 ‘Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren
to dwell together in unity.’ Savonarola was a Dominican friar and preacher
active in Renaissance Florence. Sadly he did not seem to inspire much unity as
he was hanged as a heretic and his body burnt in the main square of Florence.
It is around Girolamo Savonarola’s writings and music that this concert is
based.
Savonarola wrote a meditation on Psalm 50 shortly before his
death and we hear it here in the Miserere
by Gregorio Allegri (c.1582-1652). Rather than present what may have been
an erroneous transcription of the work, ORA present Allegri’s original
unadorned version before adding ornaments and finally reaching the better known
‘erroneous’ version. ORA shape this music quite beautifully delivering
something of a revelation in the opening unadorned part. These fine singers
bring many lovely individual moments and when the soprano does rise up high it
is especially lovely, pure and clear, gliding in the acoustic.
Savonarola himself
composed a number of works, three of which are heard here. Iesu, sommo conforto is a setting
of one of his own meditations. It is a surprisingly distinctive setting, superbly
handled with all its varying rhythms by the male voices of ORA. The trio of
soprano, tenor and bass voices bring a very fine, intimate quality to Savonarola’s gently melancholy Alma, che si gentile before six male
voices from ORA find a lovely gentle sway to his Che fai qui, core? with beautifully controlled dynamics and some lovely
harmonies.
Luca Bettini (c.1489-1527),
also a Dominican friar, was inspired by Savonarola. Here ORA sing his Ecce quam bonum (Behold how good and
how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity) a text from Psalm
132 that is closely associated with Savonarola. This is a striking performance with
solo soprano and tenor finding their way through Bettini’s little twists and
turns with terrific agility, blending finely.
The French composer Philippe
Verdelot (1480/85-c.1530/32) is generally considered to be the father of
the Italian madrigal. The full choir bring a lovely texture and sonority to his
setting of texts from Psalms 31 and 132, Letamini
in Domino weaving the various strands beautifully to a lovely conclusion.
Savonarola’s writings inspired some of the greatest compositions
of the 16th century such as William Byrd’s
(c.153940-1623) setting of the Dominican’s words, Infelix ego. The choir allow this wonderful music to unfold so
naturally, slowly allowing different textures to appear, varying dynamics, colouring
this music quite beautifully. They weave some terrific passages, developing
some quite wonderful textures with an ever developing flow.
Latvian composer
Ēriks Ešenvalds (b.1977) www.eriksesenvalds.com has also set the text of Infelix ego in response to a
commission from ORA. It opens quite magically, gliding quietly and gently
forward until expanding and gaining in passion. Ešenvalds’ lovely vocal effects
are exquisitely handled here, this choir bringing such very fine textures and
colours to this fine piece. The piece moves through some absolutely exquisite
moments, beautifully sung by this fine choir and out of which solo voices rise,
gently and quietly, Ešenvalds bringing his unusual vocal ideas to point up the
texts.
Savonarola’s motto Ecce
quam bonum is found in the Franco-Flemish composer Jean Richafort’s (c.1480-c.1547) O quam dulcis. The choirs find a
lovely dynamic ebb and flow in this lovely setting, weaving lovely harmonies
and textures.
ORA bring a lovely gentle flow to Tristitia obsedit me, mango
a setting of a meditation by Savonarola by the French composer Claude Le Jeune (c.1528/30-1600) with
the most exquisite textures and colours, rising through some very fine moments,
bringing a lovely clarity.
The text of Ecce
quomodo moritur was used by Savonarola’s followers in their devotions to
the friar. Here ORA sing an anonymous setting of the text, bringing a fine
dignified forward flow, with some exquisitely sensitive touches.
The Franco-Flemish Jacobus
Clemens non Papa c.1510/15-c.1555/56) combined the texts of Tristitia and Infelix ego in his Tristitia
obsedit me, amici with this choir bringing some lovely individual vocal
lines that are wonderfully overlaid and finding some quite beautiful sonorities.
This new release rounds off perfectly with James MacMillan’s (b.1959) https://twitter.com/jamesmacm?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor Miserere
that appears out of a hushed opening, slowly and gently rising through
glorious passages, ORA bringing the most wonderful control, harmonies,
sonorities and depth of feeling. This wonderful setting moves through some
strikingly beautiful harmonies with moments of great passion and of haunting
beauty, reflecting moments from Allegri’s own setting with the upper voices finding
an exquisite purity.
This is a really different approach to such a concert with ORA
delivering the most wonderful performances. There is a lovely warmth to the
recording though not at the expense of clarity and detail. There are excellent
booklet notes with full texts and translations in French, English and German.
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