Karl Jenkins's musical language, his melodic ideas, cantabile, full of feeling, but never deteriorating into the sentimental, his rhythmics and above all his unique, frequently so unexpected harmonic progression, never fails to surprise, impress, capture me and he is wonderful in setting words, events, moods, feelings to music in the most adequate way, truly brought to perfection in "The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace" and "Cantata Memoria: For the Children".
So, being a lover of Karl Jenkins's music - without knowing it all so far (and by far) - it was no question to make the trip to London when I heard about his 75th birthday concert, directed by himself in the Royal Albert Hall this Sunday, 13th October. It was also my first time to attend a concert there.
It was a magnificent concert and I decided to leave some notes here.
The programme was as follows:
- Programm Jenkins 75 RAH 2019-10-13.JPG (63.24 KiB) Viewed 8484 times
- Programm Jenkins 75 RAH 2019-10-13.JPG (63.24 KiB) Viewed 8484 times
Before, I had only been familiar with "Palladio", "The Armed Man" and, of course, "Adiemus" which was the encore.
The concert started appropriately with the Allegretto from "Palladio", a festive, very nice piece, but somehow only an intro, an appetiser for all of the following. Directly the next one, "Song of the Plains" from "Symphonic Adiemus", was my highlight of the evening. Oh my, how that captivated me! It has a rhythmic structure using percussion in such a brilliant way that I don't know how someone could refuse to just go with this music. I loved the conga playing in particular, but all contributed of course. I enjoyed the piece more than I can describe, and the Royal Albert Hall was just the right frame for it.
Then "6000 Pipes!", which featured the hall's big organ, which dominates the hall.
While I didn't care too much for the first movement, it was the second one, "Secret Orchids", which leaves me sad about not finding a recording of this composition. If anyone can, I would be highly grateful! "Secret Orchids" was a filigree piece with a very refined use of a glockenspiel (I think), like randomly speckling a tone here and there, and it absolutely created pictures of flowers with dew drops before my inner eye. A fascinating, most wonderful piece which I do not want, but long to hear again!"6000 Pipes!" was followed by a world premiere of three movements from "Miserere: Songs of Mercy and Redemption", whose CD recording had been released only two days before. The album could be purchased there and saw a sellout, rightful so, I must say, after hearing the concert pieces and now the entire album at home. The cello solo in "Sacramentum" was played by Abel Selaocoe in front, and suddenly I heard a didgeridoo, but where?? Oh - it was the very cellist who sang with a voice which perfectly sounded like one! And then continuing with his "normal" voice, also so beautiful, all singing while playing. Fascinating once more, and this song caused me shivers over and over.
I also just loved "Panis Angelicus - Panis Hominum", a very moving, calm piece with an extremely beautiful melody.
After this "Rahma", so after the quiet movements before now an upbeat one before the interval.
An interesting fact I discovered on the album: The last movement, "Contemplation & Benediction" in the final line quotes literally from "The Armed Man"'s "Benedictus".
And this leads to the second concert half, where the entire "Mass for Peace" was performed. I love this work and sang it in my choir a few years ago, co-performing with two others to reach the necessary number of singers. It was a marvelous feeling to see that one conducted by its composer, like all the other ones as well of course, but this one in particular.
It will be too long to comment on every movement, so I will restrain to some of them only.
The "Kyrie" melted me down throughout, so I spent two third of it in tears. There was a sensationally good soloist, Kathryn Rudge, who has one of the most beautiful mezzo-soprano voices I have ever heard. Totally pleasant sound, round and homogeneous in all registers and such a touching singing! There was no escape from that. No recording I've found of her reflects what her voice sounded like live in that concert. The choir as well sounded so gentle here.
"Charge!", the call to arms, was wild as it should be and certainly very good, but - and this is the only "but" of the concert - there were congas being played, distinctly audible, and being so much in the foreground they gave the piece a lightness which I don't feel right. However, this may be my personal feeling about congas: I'm a big fan of them, as they sound so crisp and always bring something positive to me, and so ... positive and "Charge!", that obviously excludes each other. But then the massive crescendo of the panicking screaming over the whole time needed, that was a masterpiece of both choir and conductor! The prescribed total silence of 30 seconds after that seemed shorter to me, but I may be wrong.
The movement I had waited for the most was "Now the Guns Have Stopped", my favourite of the Mass. Kathryn Rudge sang it with the emotion it requires and the last "Alone", pianissimo, was out of this world. I'd like to put the whole lyrics here, as they are so moving and so true:
"Silent, so silent, now
Now the guns have stopped.
I have survived all,
I, who knew I would not.
But now you are not here.
I shall go home, alone;
And must try to live life as before,
And hide my grief
For you, my dearest friend,
Who should be with me now,
Not cold, too soon,
And in your grave,
Alone."
Always interesting for me is to watch the conducting. Jenkins conducts as precisely as unobtrusively and often only with his right arm holding the baton. The other one is only called to work when really needed to demand more or something special from the musicians.
Self-evidently, Karl Jenkins received a standing ovation straight away. Then he received birthday wishes by the moderator and after this the whole hall sang "Happy Birthday" to him, followed by the encore "Adiemus". After the concert Jenkins did a signing of his new "Miserere" album for a long, long line of people, waiting along the floor and covering the doors in a way that no-one else could get through anymore. So a corridor had to be kept free by the staff and someone, longing for some fun, suddenly called loudly, perfectly imitating the tube announcements: "Mind the gap!!"
This was an overwhelming, deeply touching goosebumps concert, and I'm totally happy to have undertaken the trip, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!
