Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Layton/Bevan/Rice/Clayton/Rose – Handel’s Messiah

Posted by Jamie Munn on Tuesday 30 November 2010

Scottish Chamber Orchestra/Layton/Bevan/Rice/Clayton/Rose – Handel’s Messiah                    City Halls, Glasgow – 26 November 2010

Messiah season is, once again, upon us, and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra’s performances of Handel’s best known work (indeed one of the most popular pieces of music in the world), were engaging, interesting and bursting with a superior sense of musicality; there was nothing pedestrian in this interpretation.

Critics like to niggle over anything – I heard that a few people were ‘highly distressed’ at the placement of the four soloists at the side of the stage rather than two on each side of the conductor, as will probably be the case for the 20,000 amateur choral society performances up and down the country in the coming month. Who cares…? If anything, this staging allowed the soloists to take precedence only when they were actually singing, giving the conductor, orchestra and chorus the opportunity to have all of the limelight when it was their turn.

The interpretation of Stephen Layton, who stepped in stead of the late Sir Charles Mackerras, will likely give some people major gripe. It was different, there’s no doubting that. There were large pauses in between some movements, and scarcely time to draw breath between others, but the overall effect had me on the edge of my seat. There was not a dull moment. The silences often held deep intensity, and even the most ardent of Glasgow’s coughers (does the whole concert-going population of this city have tuberculosis?), were silent.

The quartet of soloists (Sophie Bevan, Christine Rice, Allan Clayton, and Matthew Rose) were, for the most part, excellent, and there was some very stylish and effective singing from Sophie Bevan, in particular. There was just the right amount of dramatic tension in her delivery of the text to ensure that her interpretation was not lacklustre or dull; quite the opposite – her range of vocal colour did complete justice to Handel’s word-painting.  

The chorus, whilst not always on top form, were at their best in the a cappella passages. Since by man came death was truly spine tingling. The orchestra, as ever, played very well, and the forces complemented each other perfectly. Getting the audience to stand during the Hallelujah chorus, did, however, seem more than a little contrived. I think we could have done without it… It’s too much of an effort for many of these old dears to get up, even if it was King George II’s preferred stance.