In a full-Handel program, the Freiburger Barockorchester teamed with the Zürcher Sing-Akademie under the baton of Kristian Beuzuidenhout, who also doubled as a soloist in the Organ Concerto op.7 n. 4 in the Französiche Kirche in Bern. I had never been in that church before, and my first impression of the acoustics in the orchestral numbers was extremely positive, the sound of the strings blooming with a warm glow, even the flute in the Ouverture HWB 337 unusually rich. Moreover, the organ and the orchestra blended very smoothly in the concerto, which added a gentle touch to Mr. Bezuidenhout vivid tempi and marked phrasing. Only in the first vocal item, the solo cantata Silete Venti, it was possible to realize that the church acoustics were less congenial than it promised to be. Soprano Robin Johannsen’s bell toned soprano was often engulfed by the orchestra in the middle and low registers, even if her high notes pieerce through without any problem. It is a tricky piece, which Ms. Johannsen sang with unusual spirit and attention to the Latin text. She tackled the coloratura and other technical difficulties with gusto and managed to create a sense of elation and poise, as one should.
In the second part of the program we could hear the psalm Dixit Dominus, a very curious piece that seems like Vivaldi on drugs in its intense dramatic descriptions, athletic writing for the chorus and some angular, almost unsingable setting of the text. The Zürcher Sing-Akademie sang strongly, all voices well matched and clear in articulation. One could only wish for less warm acoustics to hear the superior choral singing with absolute clarity. In that sense, solo voices, especially when singing from the chorus were a bit hard to follow, what is a pity for the chorus soloists (who joined Ms. Johannsen as Soprano 1) were all of them excellent, especially contralto Jane Tiik (beautiful tonal quality and perfect projection) and bass Matija Bizjan (booming, dark tone, admirable flexibility). Mr. Bezuidenhoud embraced the work’s idiosincrasies and offered a theatrical, energetic performance.
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