Sunday 16 October 2022, 3pm
Our Lady of Victories Basilica, Camberwell
World Premiere of new composition A Human Requiem by Vaughan McAlley (b. 1970)
PROGRAM
Josquin Desprez (c.1450-1521) Praeter rerum seriem
Heinrich Schütz (1585-1672) Selig sind die Toten
Vaughan McAlley (b. 1970) A Human Requiem
Mezzo-Soprano Soloist: Sally Wilson
SOPRANO
Victoria Brown; Sarah Harris; Claerwen Jones; Katherine Lieschke; Kate McBride
ALTO
Shanti Michael; Katie Richardson; Leonie Tonkin; Emma Warburton
TENOR
Peter Campbell; Vaughan McAlley; Tim van Nooten; Abhishek Purty; Michael Stephens
BASS
Thomas Bell; Andrew Murray; Chetan Noronha; Mike Ormerod; Tom Reid; Mark Thawley; Nicholas Tolhurst
REVIEW
Monday 17 October 2022, Limelight Magazine [online]
A Human Requiem (Ensemble Gombert)
Vincent Plush
3.5 stars. In this concert, featuring a world premiere by Vaughan McAlley, the expertise of the singers and their director was let down by the poor acoustic of the venue.
For nigh on 30 years, John O’Donnell has directed the choral group in Melbourne called Ensemble Gombert. This a cappella group of around 18 voices takes its name from the Franco-Flemish composer of the Renaissance (c.1495-c.1560) and its very title reveals its special focus on early music and the Renaissance in particular. Presently the University Organist at Monash University, O’Donnell himself is an internationally recognised keyboard performer, choral conductor and musicologist. He brings to his Ensemble’s performance acute attention to period style, articulation and just intonation.
These characteristics were evident in the two short works which opened the 75-minute concert on Sunday afternoon.
The first of these was the six-voice setting of the Marian Sequence, Praeter rerum seriem(“Contrary to the order of nature, a virgin mother hath given birth to God and man”) by Josquin des Prez (c.1450-1521). In his typically erudite notes, O’Donnell characterises this five-minute work as “one of the most extraordinarily original works of its time – Indeed, of all time”, in the various triple metres…
Vincent Plush/Limelight Magazine