Exaudi - Leonin to Finnissy - 3rd Feb - 7.30

[ardcarp]

The vocal ensemble Exaudi, with their director James Weeks, combines old and new vocal works, from Leonin and Machaut to Holliger and Finnissy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b050xq2g

[Roehre]

I am looking forward to that concert -though I cannot listen to it "live" due to professional duties.
I am especially interested in the second Rodericus work: to me it looks like a modern interpretation or even a spoof of the first one

[ardcarp]

Leonin could have benefited from the acoustics of Notre Dame, maybe. Machaut fantastic. Holliger pieces a real treat. I had no idea his talents ran to contemporary vocal music. (I had to laugh at the announcement of the title, nicht Ichts - nicht Nichts ...straight from a Hoffnung concert!) Rodericus fascinating; ditto James Weeks' take on it. Finnissy a touch out of my comfort zone alas. Has anyone from Hear and Now picked up on this?

[Guest]

Acoustics was exactly what I was going to say.
I liked the Holliger - inventive, real depth and spirit to the pieces. Not the Finnissy, I fear.

[edashtav]

Acoustics was exactly what I was going to say.
[...]

I've heard baroque choral music in the Wigmore Hall and fear that its ambience - such a good fit for chamber music - is too clinical and analytical for most choral music. It lacks that forgiving emollient quality that aids good blend.

[Barbirollians]

An unfortunate name they have chosen - whenever I see it i think of Einaudi and his minimalist pop twiddlings.

[decantor]

An unfortunate name they have chosen - whenever I see it i think of Einaudi and his minimalist pop twiddlings.

I always associate the group's name with the liturgical use of the word - and so it seems to carry an element of desperation: "Please, please listen and respond!" Perhaps that's what they intend, though they're really not so bad as to have to beg!

I admit I found tonight's performance a tougher listen than I'd expected - probably a good thing. But I did enjoy the Salad - a clever concoction.

[ardcarp]

I think Exaudi and their conductor James Weeks are one of the very few professional groups whose mission is to tackle contemporary and often very difficult repertoire. If one thinks about it, nearly all (all, in fact?) of the other groups which are household names make their livings from the Renaissance, the Baroque and from the easy-listening end of 20th and 21st century stuff. This is a bit of a simplification (The Sixteen, for instance, ranges more widely) but big audiences and CD sales are a necessity. So the fact that James is up for a challenge makes him something of a pioneer, IMO.