Isouard: Liturgical Works for St John’s. Rosabelle Bianchi and Claire Caruana, sopranos; Claire Massa, mezzo-soprano; Charles Vincenti, tenor; Albert Buttigieg, bass; Mirabitur Choir; Romina Morrow, organ; Malta Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Richard Divall – Gega GR 10 (51 minutes).
Nicolò Isouard (1773-1818) lived during a period of transition from the late classical to the early romantic period which was largely dominated by three musical giants: Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven, so it is no surprise that Isouard’s music has certain traits that resemble the language of these three.
Claire Caruana’s impressive phrasing and breath control, added to her intelligent use of the upper register, gave me a rare kind of pleasure- Aldo Fenech
This memorable CD focuses on the composer’s sacred works that he wrote for the Conventual Church of St John in Valletta.
Except for the Te Deum, which dates from 1791, and the undated Sinfonia in C Minor, all the pieces were composed between 1796 and 1798, so as expected the music echoes with Haydnesque and Mozartian sounds, apart from the fact that Isouard was still a young man, still searching for his style.
The programme opens with the vigorous and buoyant Sinfonia in C Minor, whose opening reminded me of Gluck, a composer who died when Isouard was 13. The piece, which survives in a set of incomplete orchestral parts and without a full score, is full of catchy tunes and felicitous orchestration, and makes a fitting opening to any concert.
At nearly 19 minutes, the Te Deum ‘a cinque voci’ is the longest work on the disc. Like the Sinfonia, this piece has also experienced a dose of misfortune. The manuscript was extensively damaged and to arrive at a full performing score, a considerable amount of reconstruction had to be undertaken.
This is Isouard’s first known large-scale sacred work. For an 18-year-old, it is in some ways an innovative one. Written for five solo singers, including two sopranos, and a five-part choir, this Te Deum is permeated by a mood of continuous thanksgiving and joy, augmented by Isouard’s uncanny tempo and dynamic changes, and free ornamentation as the text requires.
Psalm 126, Nisi Dominus, a quartetto obbligato follows the Te Deum. This short and mostly formal work is one of the few to which a definite date can be assigned. Indeed, Isouard noted finis on the final page of the manuscript on July 2, 1796.
The motet (Offertory) Diffusa est gratia was composed for the castrato Gennaro Oliva, probably at his own request. The work is divided into several tempo sections with an opening Andante con moto and a closing Allegro finale. It is the only composition on the disc set for solo voice, in this case a soprano, organ and orchestra, and has a sublime sense of purity.
‘Juravit Dominus’ con fuga is another motet that has a musical maturity and sureness of orchestration that are indeed commendable. Scored for choir, organ and orchestra the piece is in three sections with an opening tempo marking of Andante con moto.
It is one of Isouard’s most striking sacred works, and the chorus’s entry after a turbulent dotted passage brings back memories of a similar passage in Mozart’s Requiem. The fugue, with its extreme chromatics, is highly arresting and displays Isouard’s ability to write complex music with the utmost ease. The motet ends reflectively with a three-bar piano phrase in the strings epitomising one of the noblest aspects of the priestly vocation.
Could there have been a better finale to this issue than a Gloria? This is precisely what ends this splendid choral programme. The Gloria in D calls for probably the largest orchestral forces that Isouard ever composed for during his Maltese period, which ended in 1800. It is a large-scale work full of imaginative orchestration and deft melodic touches that uplift the mind and heart towards God.
Considering that this music has no previous benchmark interpretations, performances are consistently fine. All five soloists, among the very best we have, sing with enthusiasm and heartfelt sensitivity, but never to showy effect.
I was particularly struck by Claire Caruana’s rendition of Diffusa est gratia (track 4), the only piece with one soloist. Her impressive phrasing and breath control added to her intelligent use of the upper register gave me a rare kind of pleasure.
The Mirabitur Choir, ably directed by Simone Attard, show marvellous feeling for the light and shade of these scores, and their assuredness makes this music radiate in all its simple splendour.
The Malta Philharmonic give sympathetic support all round, but Isouard did not want the orchestra to be just a bystander.
If you listen carefully, you will detect some really daring instrumentation which our superbly drilled and smooth-sounding orchestra bring off with consummate mastery.
A big thank you to Australian conductor Richard Divall, not only for his painstaking research and reconstruction of these gems, but also for his impassioned conducting, which brought out the very best from the whole team of performers.
To buy this CD, contact the APS Bank or visit www.apsbank.com.mt.