Music Review: Collegium Vocale Gent and I Solisti Del Vento

Published on Wednesday 27 August 2008 19:36

COLLEGIUM VOCALE GENT AND I SOLISTI DEL VENTO **** USHER HALL, EDINBURGH

THE woodwind and brass ensemble, I Solisti Del Vento, presented conductor Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent with an ideal opportunity to explore some unusual choral repertoire in this programme. Bruckner scored his Mass in E minor for these instruments when building delays resulted in his commission to consecrate part of the Linz cathedral being performed outside – so no strings and organ. Instead this intricately woven eight-part work is accompanied by woodwind and brass, sometimes sounding uncannily like an organ chorale.

The choir sung beautifully in a piece that was almost symphonic in scale and aspiration, unlike Stravinsky's more intimate and introspective mass setting. Stravinsky's synthesis of a range of vocal influences from Gregorian chant to Mozart melds into his own distinctive style in this powerful work. Scored for a double wind quintet, these instruments most closely resemble the human voice, producing some gorgeous sonorities particularly in the Credo and Gloria. Simplicity also won the day in Henri Pousseur's quietly understated Mnemosyne I for six female voices and clarinet while Stravinsky made the 23 instruments "sing" in a series of short litanies – Symphonies of Wind Instruments.