Lo Sposalizio - The King's Consort

The first appearance by the King's Consort at The Sage had been a thrilling performance of Monteverdi's Vespers. Could they match that on their return, particularly after their difficulties of last year? The answer is not quite, but this was still a highly enjoyable concert, conducted by their new musical director Matthew Halls.

Lo Sposalizio is an attempt to reconstruct highlights of the celebrations to mark Ascension Day as they might have occurred in Venice at the end of the sixteenth century. The events started outside with drums, fanfares and secular choral and instrumental music leading to the climax of the ceremony, the symbolic 'marriage' of Venice to the sea, the Doge casting a golden ring into the water and pronouncing the words 'Desponsamus te Mare, in signum veri perpetuique dominii' (we espouse thee O sea, as a sign of true and perpetual dominion). This was then followed by Solemn High Mass in the Church of San Nicolo.

The concert started with the lights dimmed and the single tolling bell of San Marco. The singers then entered in procession through the hall, led by four side drums. The music for the first half consisted of alternating vocal and instrumental pieces, interspersed with more drumming and fanfares, and climaxing with the gorgeous 16 part madrigal "Udite chiari et generosi figli" by Giovanni Gabrieli.

The second half started with the bell of San Nicolo and a fanfare to signal the arrival at the church of the Doge. The music from the liturgy was Giovanni Gabrieli's 12 part Kyrie and Sanctus and Andrea Gabrieli's 16 part Gloria. Other music included Monteverdi's 5 part motet "Christe adoramus te" and Tributio Massaino's remarkable "Canzon per otto tromboni" played on eight sackbuts. The Mass, and this concert, ended with the bells of Venice and more drumming.

The music of the whole concert flowed easily from one item into another. The singing and playing were of marvellous precision and verve. The instrumental ensemble included not only eleven sackbuts but also five trumpets and two Chitarrone. The voices were all men, the top lines being taken by six counter-tenors.

Three minor quibbles with the music for the Mass. I would liked to have heard some of the Mass Proper chanted, to place the elaborate polyphony in context and to provide a bit of contrast. The use of the chamber organ as a continuo in the Monteverdi motet was unnecessary and a distraction. There should have been a pause between the Sanctus and Benedictus, not only to mark that the Consecration would have taken place then, but also because the mood and style of the music show a distinct change.

But these are minor quibbles about what was a brilliant concept, superbly executed.