The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir moves KVT to tears
MONDAY was SILVER
Whenever I hear a really good male choir consisting of treble, alto, tenor and baritone voices with counter tenors winding through and singing rivers of gorgeous compositions my face courses with tears, in fact I was the one who left the Opera House wet eyed and smiling.
Give me the annual carol service by the King’s College Choir from Cambridge and I become weepy before the trebles and altos finish the first stanza of Once in Royal David’s City. Even without the adult voices, a top classical boy’s choir reduces me to a misty state and I only have to think about listening to the soundtrack of the French film Les Choristes and my eyes moisten.The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir, under the baton of its long term artistic and administrative director Ebbe Munk, was rippling silver. The first half of the concert with its unaccompanied diurnal and seasonal songs, a choir setting by Mendelssohn and two by Hans Christian Andersen was gorgeous, and the final song with the treble, alto, baritone and tenor joining in from the second level dress circle was shivery. The men and their barber shop style a cappella sent us to interval smiling.
Part two became finely filigreed silver. First an organ accompanied O Magnum Mysterium by modern American composer Morten Laurisden, which was stunning, and then the Chamber Orchestra from the Vietnam National Academy of Music accompanied the choir in Hayden’s Kleine Orgelmesse which featured a movement by a very gloriously voiced boy soprano.
To have Handel’s Coronation Anthem from “Zadok the Priest” as a finale was a risk worth taking. The orchestra really rose to the occasion and the young male and female choristers from the Vietnam National Academy of Music seamlessly enjoined their voices with the Danes. It was foot stompingly, eye glisteningly good
The evening began and ended with the combined choirs singing the very popular, old, Vietnamese folk song Trong Com (the Rice Drum). A great start and an emotive exit.
The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir is famous for its interpretation of the choral work of composers from the Renaissance and Baroque eras and has an established reputation for its presentation of 20 and 21 century chorus music. Major works have been composed especially for them
Note I didn’t use the angelic adjective. Boys are far too impish and mischievous to be saddled with that, no matter how silvery glorious their voices are.
Once again I can only say….where but in Hanoi would we get to listen to and see such fabulous stuff……. for free?
Thanks sooooooo much to the Great Danes and their cultured Ambassador.
| Not a reviewer, not a critic, “Kiếm Văn Tìm” is an interested, impartial and informed observer and connoisseur of the Hanoi art scene who offers highly opinionated remarks and is part of the long and venerable tradition of anonymous correspondents. Please add your thoughts in the comment field below. |
I’ve been to Opera House 3 times, all are concerts (and free, too :D), but this time is the most impressive. I was really surprised and interested with the choir and their voices, it seems these boys have the magic that when they began to sing, the hall turned into a strange mood and I could hear the song from everyside, like they’re standing besides me (though I sat at 3rd fl). I was also watching the way they sang and discovered they are very lovely kids, some boys sang with his mouth wide open likes a studious boy tries to do his best, some sang likes sauntering in the park, but both of them are delightful as well as their lively bright voices.
I also saw some old man sang emotionally, with all their heart and soul.
When the concert ended, I stood outside the House and luckily saw the choir came out, the boys are quite mischievous and friendly when going together. And I’ve regretted so much because I was hesitate to take some photos of them at that time.
There is one thing I feel unpleasant about the concert: the Vietnamese orchestra’s costumes are so flashy and opposite, some dressed rudely :|.
Overlook this detail, I think this is a very delightful concert, and how great it is when I have ticket in my hand, haha. So thank you so much for your useful information.