La Nuova Musica

'The London Handel Festival is continuing throughout the capital, and as well as the headline events in the major venues there are also 'fringe' performances sprinkled around the area, and it was almost by chance that this writer found herself in deepest Edgware on Saturday last, and looking for St. Lawrence Whitchurch, Little Stanmore. For it was here that the LHF had advertised two performances of Handel's lovely masque/serenata 'Acis & Galatea' and it was only on reading the detail of the performance that I realised that not only was the location one of Handel's old stamping grounds (part of the old Cannons estate as owned by the Duke of Chandos) but that the church itself was being re-built when Handel was there, and that within it was the very organ (partly restored) that the great man had played himself, and from which he probably directed the first performance of this masque in 1718. Such historical fact is interesting in itself and gives verisimilitude to any artistic encounter, but it was the unexpected beauty of both exterior and interior that made the event miorable in more than a musical sense.  Without going into detail — that can be found at the link below and hinted at in the accompanying photographs — suffice to say that as the spring sunlight shafted through the windows onto the painted walls and ancient box pews, there was a palpable frisson of connection with the man whose music we were enjoying.

'That music did not let the surroundings down: after an hors d'œuvre in the form of Handel's Organ Concerto in D Minor Op.7 played by Mark Williams, the first scampering phrases of the overture by La Nuova Musica responded with lively enthusiasm to the energetic yet sensitive direction of David Bates. There was crisply defined phrasing and some lovely work from the winds in both accompagnato and arias. This 'chamber' version of the work (the earlier, 1718 version) entailed five soloists (including the character of Coridon, whose music is often sung by Damon) but they were also combined as the commenting chorus as well. This meant that one could listen to them in full solo flow, but also as an ensemble and it was interesting to note how the individual singers adapted and adjusted.

'The listed bass was indisposed so the giant Polyphius was sung by young Callum Thorpe, who is gaining a good reputation for his focused and warm tone. He was equally impressive in his ease of delivery and fluidity, and is a name to note for the future. The roles of Coridon, Damon and Acis are, of course, all tenor roles yet in this performance there were clear variations in tone and delivery: Laurence Cummings (more often seen directing from the harpsichord and Musical Director of the entire Festival) in the small role of Coridon sang correctly if with limited projection. Simon Wall as the well-advising Damon was impressive in his smooth line and pleasingly elegant musicality — his 'Consider, fond shepherd' would be hard to better — and Nathan Vale was a robust Acis who was most impressive when tackling the martial 'Love sounds th'alarm'. Galatea was sung by the established young opera soprano Lucy Crowe, and she was, quite frankly, in another league entirely. Her polished technique, fluid trills and agile leaps, combined with a gleaming effortless tone that would have filled a place ten times the size.

'Listening to this standard of music-making in such a venue was worth a dozen run-of-the mill concerts by far greater names, and must be one of the great glories of the London Handel Festival; long may it continue to be well-supported and encouraged.'

'Under the artistic direction of Laurence Cummings (since 2002) rising stars of baroque music have not only continued to enjoy the support of the festival but also the Handel Singing Competition, so it would sei that the festival has developed an uncanny knack of backing winners.

'Two such winners were singing in this concert of Handel's Acis and Galatea at the midpoint of the festival last weekend. The ensemble, La Nuova Musica was established by David Bates in 2005 and following the release of their debut album 'Il Circolo Di Giulio Caccini' they are making 2009 their first big year, having already enjoyed residency at the Aldeburgh Festival. This was their London Handel Festival debut and, in my opinion, a great success.

'Handel's Acis and Galatea is a popular choice and very much in the public consciousness considering the Dunedin Consort's beautiful album released a few months ago. This was reflected in the healthy numbers of people who came out from central London to the beautiful setting of Canons Park to hear this Masque performed in the church of what was once the Canons estate.

'The programme began slightly uneasily with the Organ Concerto in D Minor, uneasily because the organ (Handel's organ from his time with the Duke of Chandos – now much restored) had obviously renounced its tuning whilst it basked in the glorious afternoon sun. Once the players had settled into the unexpected miasma of temperaments the performance was lively and engaging with Mark Williams' enviously nimble keyboard technique very much stealing the show. For the Masque itself, Acis was sung by Nathan Vale (Winner of the Handel singing competition 2006), and Galatea by Lucy Crowe (Finalist 2002); two beautifully matched singers who neatly balanced the expected sound of the traditional early music revival with the newer, more 'developed' manner of baroque singing – perfect for Handel. They were joined by Simon Wall (Damon), Laurence Cummings (Coridon) and standing in at very short notice, Callum Thorpe (Polyphius).

'For an entertainment in which essentially very little happens the chemistry between these five characters is of the utmost importance. David Bates paced the performance well and allowed his soloists the room they needed to keep the iotional tension high whilst still managing to observe the musical gestures and phrases. In the choruses they proved themselves also to be excellent choral singers responsive to the diands of the texture as well as to their own parts. Crowe soared effortlessly over the male voices, maintaining her reputation as an exciting lyric soprano to watch. Thorpe's Polyphius was less the ridiculous buffoon, rather having something of the quiet loner about him so that there was a palpable sense of personal journey as he was goaded by the manipulative suggestions of Cummings' persuasive Coridon to become the murderer that he eventually turns out to be.

'A pleasing dramatic concept was the idea of having recits sung from the side of the orchestra with the soloists coming to the centre for their arias. However, whilst I could not fault the dedication of these singers and their portrayal of the story to the audience, I would have welcomed slightly more interaction between Acis and his lover since I dislike the manner of singing very passionately about the person standing next to you whilst looking only at the audience. Having said that, the note of camaraderie between Vale's Acis and Simon Wall's stylish portrayal of the reflective Damon caught this balance just right.

'When action finally did arrive (the massy ruin) Nathan Vale skillfully set a tone of absolute shellshock that the singers carried over into their beautiful chorus and which was followed with a fabulously charged silence. Even though this was managed as well as I've ever heard it, I cannot help but think that Galatea always sounds unavoidably petulant as she sings the next line 'Must I my Acis still bemoan...'. But thankfully Crowe followed it up with one of the most beautiful renditions of the final air that I have heard.

'This concert was a major success for La Nuova Musica and, I hope, an important step on their journey to a secure performing future. They have a lot to offer both in sheer performing energy and in musical ideas and we must remember that we heard them first at both The London Handel Festival and the Aldeburgh Festival – without which the UK music scene would be immeasurably poorer and the opportunities for young ensembles impossibly bleak.'

'This was the chapel of the Duke of Chandos, the most notorious (and, briefly, the richest) social climber in early 18th-century London. He employed the young Handel for three years, and was rewarded with the Chandos anthems and the main work in this concert: the pastoral masque Acis and Galatea.

'It's a delightful piece: tragic-tinged (poor Acis is not only crushed by the jealous one-eyed monster Polyphie, but then eternally transmogrified into a stream) but full of lilting, almost folky melodies and bouncy choruses of nymphs and swains. It received a very spirited interpretation here from a newish group on the early music scene - La Nuova Musica, directed by the countertenor David Bates.

'It helped that he could muster some outstanding young singers in this slightly boxy acoustic: notably the radiant Lucy Crowe as Galatea, the light-voiced but expressive tenor Nathan Vale as Acis, and — as a last-minute replacement, but very effective — a suitably intimidating Callum Thorpe to hurl out O ruddier than the cherry as a forceful Polyphie.

'But Bates's general approach also impressed. True, his nascent conducting technique didn’t make for the neatest corners, and one or two over-the-top embellishments might have drawn from Handel whatever the 18th-century German equivalent of a four-letter word is. But he breathed life, meaning and shape into every phrase; his speeds were properly brisk; and his little band, though a touch oboe-heavy in places, responded with playing of robust vigour.'