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Reviewer: Barry
Brenesal Music for most European ceremonial events of this period or earlier—not just coronations, but peace treaties, convocations, international conferences, and the like—was a standard feature, but the contents were seldom noted down. I knew that was the case with the coronation of Charles II—save for an anthem, and Matthew Locke’s Suite for His Majesty’s Sackbuts and Cornetts—which left me admittedly curious when this album was first announced. Was this an instance of newly discovered correspondence or inventories detailing the coronation’s music, or yet another example of selling an album on the basis of we-don’t-know-but-it-might-have-been? Unfortunately, it is the latter. The liner notes are meticulously detailed about who was involved with each part of the coronation, right down to quotes pulled out of the diary of Samuel And-So-To-Bed Pepys about the ladies, outfits, and “the King and the Duke of York took notice of us.” But there’s only about 16 minutes of music in this program that we know for certain was performed at that time. A more accurate album title would have been “Music During the Reign of Charles II,” but as any marketing suit would tell you, that lacks immediacy. So what we have here is for the most part a selection of music from the early Restoration that concentrates exclusively on the “loud ensemble” of cornetts, trombones, and trumpets, with occasional organ accompaniment and percussion. There’s the aforementioned Suite of Locke, several works that would have been heard at Westminster Abbey around that time (including Child’s O Lord, grant the King a long life, which was definitely on the program), and a variety of dances and masque selections. Given the disc’s focus on faux atmosphere, it’s perhaps not surprising that three further pieces (Mersenne’s Cavalcade & Double Cavalcade, Fantini’s Entrata Inperiale, and the uncredited Soundscape ‘The King’) are little more than running a few arpeggiated chords, horses cantering, plenty of noise, talk, bells, and cheers. However, the performances are scrupulous. Oltremontano, which was founded by Wim Becu in 1993, furnishes a handsome, carefully modulated sound, with excellent phrasing and balance between the parts. (It’s interesting to find among their temporary associates here Marnix De Cat, longtime countertenor and former leader of Capilla Flamenca, on percussion.) They’re joined in three selections by the Belgian vocal ensemble Psallentes, under their director Hendrik Vanden Abeele. The singers enunciate well, and perform with rather more attention to expressive dynamics than a few highly respected and far better-known British choirs. Whoever managed the engineering did a fine job. The choir, brass, and organ always complement and never overwhelm one another. In short, this is a fine collection of Restoration loud ensemble works, ably performed. Skip the cheesy noise and cheers, and you’ll be fine. | |
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