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In the course of his address on the subject of Lord Nelson’s importance to
the Navy, Admiral Sir Jeremy Black told us that some 800 people were onboard
ship with Nelson on a tour that lasted nearly two years. Looking around a
packed church one had some idea of what that meant. More people were
present than would be found even at the midnight service on Christmas Eve
Why was that? Certainly there was an expectation of a high quality of music
making. In that we were not disappointed. But plainly we were celebrating
an association with a major event in the history of this country. Indeed,
at one point when the conductor’s rostrum was carried up the centre isle one
might have been forgiven for thinking for a moment that Nelson’s remains
were being brought to join in the occasion.
This was a celebration of a victory at Trafalgar when Nelson, far from
confident, took a calculated but big risk in his tactics to defeat the
French and Spanish to avoid what seemed to all England an inevitable
subjection to French rule. Remembrance of his presence in this church two
hundred years ago was made more real by the attendance of Sir Jeremy,
Commander of HMS Invincible in the Falklands War.
In fact, the cantata that began the evening was composed by Haydn for Emma
Hamilton to words by a friend of hers in praise of the Battle of the Nile.
An oddity, it was finely sung by the soprano Rachel Nichols who got the best
out of it given the rather stilted text which could hardly have inspired the
composer. And I say this with the greatest respect for “Papa” Haydn who
never puts a foot (or note) wrong.
The Nelson Mass was a different matter. Composed seven years before the
Battle of Trafalgar, this performance of what a notable Haydn Scholar
regards as “arguably Haydn’s greatest composition”, was entirely worthy of
the occasion. The orchestra, though small (probably the size Haydn was used
to) played deftly with some subtle trumpet playing. The four soloists each
came with a distinguished provenance evident in their well matched singing.
The choir, including some familiar faces from St Mary's, was superb and
their sound changed to meet the mood of the different parts of the Mass. As
Tom said, the conductor, Andrew Edwards, is to be congratulated both on a
fine performance and in the organisation of it and in excellent programme
notes putting the music into its historical context. Nelsons are also to be
thanked for their sponsorship.
It was in short a real pleasure to have been present at this Bicentenary
Concert and special event in this church’s history.
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