Choir’s joyful start to Christmas season

Oriana Chorale performs “O Magnum Mysterium” at Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest. Photo: Peter Hislop

Music / “O Magnum Mysterium”, Oriana Chorale, directed by Dan Walker. At Wesley Uniting Church, Forrest, December 1. Reviewed by LEN POWER.

ORIANA Chorale’s final concert of 2023 delivered masterworks from two of the 20th century’s greatest composers, Francis Poulenc and Frank Martin, as well as works by the 16th century Italian composer Madalena Casulana and Sydneysider Brooke Shelley.

Beginning with “Nativity”, a setting of a poem by James McAuley, Shelley’s work opened quietly and built to an emotional sense of wonder at the beauty of small natural things in this world. 

The choir sang it with great accuracy and sensitivity, achieving an appealing depth of feeling.

After this exquisite opening, Martin’s “Mass for Double Choir” followed. This work, composed between 1922 and 1926, did not receive a premiere until 1963 in Hamburg, Germany. It is now considered one of the great choral works and it was given a fine presentation by the choir.

The highlights of its performance included the dramatic and complex combined Sanctus and Benedictus and the movingly sung Agnus Dei.

The 16th century composer, Casulana’s “O Notte O Cielo O Mar” (oh night, oh sky, oh sea) comes from her second book of madrigals. This work is notable for its emotional restraint and the choir gave it a sense of great beauty and reflection.

Dan Walker conducts the Oriana Chorale’s “O Magnum Mysterium”. Photo: Peter Hislop

The final work, Poulenc’s “Quatre motets pour le temps de Noёl”, paints four colourful scenes from the nativity story. 

The first part takes us immediately into the wonder and mystery of the nativity, leads into the witness by the shepherds, the sighting of the star and, ultimately, celebrates the birth of Christ.

There was strength in the choir’s singing of the profound opening and its delivery of the description of the wise men sighting the star was hauntingly beautiful. 

The singing of the finale was dramatic and joyful, making this a perfect end to a concert that left us in no doubt that the Christmas season has begun.

Masterful ‘Dark and Luminous’ music, more please

Oriana Chorale and Phoenix Collective. Photo: Peter Hislop.

Music / “Dark and Luminous Night”, Oriana Chorale with Phoenix Collective Quartet. At Larry Sitsky Recital Room, ANU, July 15. Reviewed by ROB KENNEDY.

TRAVERSING the range of the human experience in song, this concert of new and old music by the Oriana Chorale with Phoenix Collective Quartet created a special sound combination.

Directed by singer and composer Dan Walker, the concert began with “Waiting for the Night”, by Depeche Mode, arranged by the director. The fascinating lineup of a string quartet, Jem Harding playing piano, and the choir created a distinctive and fresh sound quality. The moody music of Depeche Mode, with this combination of musical voices and the effective arrangement made for something seldom heard anywhere. Most captivating.

The pulsating “Dark Night of the Soul”, by Norwegian composer Ola Gjeilo is an effective piece of music. It drives its tune with a consistent pulse. The choir sung through this composition to create an almost ambient atmosphere like a synthesiser would. It quickly shifted to a nostalgic feeling with moods on the piano falling and then flowing as the choir and quartet filled in the harmony. It created a rich wall of sound. The combination of voices and music was simply gorgeous, as was the performance from all.

Dan Walker conducting. Photo: Peter Hislop

“Starálfur”, by the Icelandic rock band Sigur Rós arr. Dan Walker followed. Then, “Look Up, The Sky is Glowing”, music and lyrics by Ella Macens, who was in the audience. This sad, delicate work, was filled with effective and beautiful writing that blended all voices nicely. The string writing almost wept with emotion. The soft reflections from the choir blended well.

Such clear tonal works that push the emotions are a testament to the quality of contemporary Australian music. Macens moved to the stage and took a bow.

Then “Waltz after Lasse in Lyby”, Traditional arr. Danish String Quartet, performed by Dan Russell and Pip Thompson, violin, Ella Brinch, viola, Andy Wilson, cello, who are the Phoenix Collective Quartet. In this traditional folk tune, which comes from a cold country, you can feel the shimmering coolness through its simple tune. It’s the sort of piece that stops people in their tracks. Delightful, playful and life-affirming, the music was performed with immense empathy.

“Hail Gladdening Light” from “Vespers”, by Sergei Rachmaninov, which followed is a work of great depth and many parts. Solos, complex counterpoint and flowing tunes and all balanced exactly right by Oriana who were sounding so good.

Jem Harding on piano. Photo: Peter Hislop

Then, “Luminous Night of the Soul” by Gjeilo. From a solo cello opening, it then took on the sound of a Christmas carol through the choir, then a piano solo; it could have been movie music. But when the choir came in again, it took on extra depth. Sounding like an affirmation, it built in scope and dynamic, then tempo, ending on a strong note.

Again, for just choir, “Lux Aeterna” (after Nimrod Variations), by Edward Elgar, arr. John Cameron. This is an appealing and profound work that the choir made sound like the original.

Finishing with another Depeche Mode arrangement by Dan Walker, “I Feel Loved”. The tender composition expressed the journey from darkness to the light of love. The arrangement would have made Depeche Mode proud.

The programming, arrangements and splendid sound quality of this combination of voices calls for more concerts in this vein, and soon please.

Fine singing in an insight to music of First Nation cultures

“Two Worlds”, The Oriana Chorale, directed by Dan Walker, flautist Sally Walker.

At Belco Arts Centre, August 20. Reviewed by LEN POWER, CityNews.

THE Oriana Chorale’s new concert, “Two Worlds”, is inspired by the words of Alice Eather, an Aboriginal Australian poet, environmental campaigner and teacher from Arnhem Land in the NT.

In her poem “Yúya Karrabúra” (Fire Is Burning), she refers to her dual heritage of First Nation peoples and Europeans as the two worlds she walks between, saying: “I’m living and breathing this story of black and white”.

Chorale director Dan Walker created a choral work from Eather’s poem and it was one of the works presented in this unique concert.

Other works were by composers Michael Atherton, Gordon Hamilton (with William Barton), Peter Sculthorpe, Ross Edwards and Stephen Leek.

A new work, “Clock”, by Christopher Sainsbury and Darryl Griffen, a modern response to climate change, was commissioned by the Oriana Chorale and given its world premiere in this concert. It was a beautiful, thoughtful work with dramatic moments contrasting with hints of sadness and reflection but ultimately optimism.

It was an impressive achievement by Dan Walker and the Chorale singers to present such a wide-ranging program, most of it in the original languages of the works. It was sung with confidence and clarity throughout. The unfamiliar and constantly shifting rhythms and parts would have been a challenge to learn and sing.

The result was an evening of fine singing and an educating insight into the astounding range of music to be found in First Nation cultures. There were rousing, chanting works throbbing with life and joy, melodic works of great beauty, quietly dramatic works of sadness as well as surprising moments of cheeky humour.

Flautist Sally Walker, gave beautiful solo performances of “Ulpirra” and “Water Spirit Song”, both by Ross Edwards, and added an extra element of emotion to works performed by the singers, including the exquisite “Lullaby From Requiem” by Peter Sculthorpe.

Stephen Leek’s “Great Southern Spirits”, a fabulous soundscape of ancient Australia was the perfect finale for the program. Its vivid section, “Uluru”, which conjured up images of thoughtless tourists on the sacred rock, brought Alice Eather’s plea for continuing dialogue full circle.

Choirs deliver a remarkable concert of fine singing

Roland Peelman conducts the combined choirs. Photo: Peter Hislop

CIMF, Concert 19: “Choral Opposites”. At Fitters’ Workshop, May 7. Reviewed by LEN POWER, CityNews

FINE local voices assembled for a choral concert of tradition-inspired Nordic works with unique contemporary Australian compositions about the land and its peoples.

They provided a welcome sense of warmth and coming together for the wintry Canberra evening.

Ancient folk rituals and centuries of Lutheran hymns were the inspiration for many of the contemporary Nordic works from countries such as Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Iceland and Norway.

Australia was represented by the works of Ross Edwards, Gordon Hamilton, Brenda Gifford and Sarah Hopkins. 

There was also a new work that linked north and south by Ella Macens, representing genuine Latvian traditions in Australia.

Three local choirs – Oriana Chorale, Kompactus Youth Choir and Luminescence Chamber Singers – performed separately and together. There was also Matthew Doyle on didgeridoo and Sally Walker on flute. On occasion, recorded sounds and percussive instruments added to the atmosphere of the works in the well-planned and performed program.

The Oriana Chorale, directed by Dan Walker, started the concert with a work by Sweden’s Karin Rehnqvist called “In Heaven’s Hall”. Conducted by Roland Peelman from the centre of the auditorium, sopranos strategically placed around the hall gave voice to Rehnqvist’s signature motif of “Kulning”, a vocal technique depicting the ancient call of Nordic herding girls driving their flocks. It was a startling and atmosphere-establishing beginning.

The other highlight by the Oriana Chorale in this massive program of works was the Australian composition by Ross Edwards called “Waabin” with its text of Whadjuk Noongar words. This joyous work was sung superbly by the women in the choir accompanied by Sally Walker on flute. […]

All the choirs combined for the new work by Latvian-Australian Ella Macens, “While Winter Is Here”. The music contained lovely melodies and the text was particularly evocative. One of the final works presented was “Past Life Melodies”, with its sense of nostalgia and longing, by Australia’s Sarah Hopkins.

This concert was remarkable for the number, range and challenge of the works presented and the fine singing by everyone involved. It was an evening to remember.

Read full review here

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Blessed by a choir of ‘glorious’ voices

From the review by Rob Kennedy, CityNews

CELEBRATING a millennium of French songs, Oriana Chorale performed an exploration of chansons about love, birds, mythical creatures, work songs, and drinking and dancing songs that rejoice in the art of living.

Chansons Françaises. Oriana Chorale conducted by Dan Walker. Photo: Peter Hislop

Music director Dan Walker conducted an exceptional program of French songs that, well, covered almost every subject. 

The concert began with the mysterious “A Chantar” by the 12th-century female troubadour, Beatriz de Dia. The 26 singers created an ethereal sound in this moving and profound work that predated polyphony.

Moving on to the Renaissance period for “Le chant des oyseaux”, by Clément Janequin. With multiple lines of music sung at the same time, the texture thickened. Reflecting bird calls in parts, these bouncy rhythms sounded complex and uniform at the same time. Fascinating.

Another bouncy piece followed with Pierre Passereau’s “Il set bel et bon”. Walker conducts with great accuracy and nuance. No singer is left in doubt by what he means. Being a tenor, he sings along and watches the score and singers intently.

Arranged by Walker, the traditional song, “La Fille au Rois Louis”, came next. A gorgeous arrangement of this profoundly beautiful music sat softly in the ear. Jean-Philippe Rameau’s “Hymne à la Nuit”, mirrored the traditional piece in ways, and was equally glorious.

We then moved into the 20^th century with Debussy, his “Trios chansons de Charles d’Orléans”. […] The chorale sang particularly well as it took great concentration, balance, and unity, and it had all that.

Three songs by Ravel followed. His “Trios Chansons” is quirky but also thick with deep textures, floating lines, and unique solo parts across the chorale, this is a composition of the highest order, and it was appropriately sung.

Poulenc’s set of works, “Huit Chansons françaises” followed. With multiple melodic lines in a rustic, folk-like setting, this earthy music, with lyrics to match in fascinating rhythmic constructions, had it all. Contrasting highly coloured songs of all eight pieces made for a captivating performance.

To finish this concert of fine French music that crossed a thousand years, who else but Edith Piaf and her “Hymn to Love”. Dripping with a sentimental but heartfelt love, this hymn fittingly so perfect to the French language capped off an inspiring concert.

How lucky Canberra is to have such a fine local choir in Oriana Chorale. The range of voices blend exceptionally well. And to be led by a conductor, composer, arranger and singer of world-class stature, we are blessed.