Closing-time at the ABH was an event no-one present will easily forget, not least the hundreds of instrumentalists and choristers, and conductor Barry Wordsworth, 11th-hour hero of the evening.
This comfortable concert-hall within Birmingham Conservatoire has only been in existence for 30 years, during which time many of the world’s greatest performers and composers have graced its stage. Now, as part of the Paradise orgy of redevelopment, it is about to disappear, and this gala presentation of the Verdi Requiem was its last-ever public event.
And it was so fitting that this account should be conducted by Wordsworth, a student of Sir Adrian, and who drew from these Conservatoire students and colleagues a performance brimming with vigour, depth of tone, subtlety, colour, detail, dynamic range, flexibility, security of pitch and tempo, and a hugely touching sincerity.
Yet until 48 hours beforehand he had thought he would only be appearing for a pre-concert interview reminiscing about Boult (and what a fascinating session that turned out to be). But then the announced conductor withdrew, and Wordsworth (in France at the time) received the call.
One would never have realised the backstage drama behind this reading, Wordsworth bringing such calm, clear authority to proceedings, and guiding with understated wisdom a remarkably excellent solo quartet - soprano Caroline Modiba, mezzo Victoria Simmonds, tenor David Butt Philip, bass Barnaby Rea - through their demanding, often Aida-like contributions.
Particular orchestral highlights were the confidence of the cellos at the cruelly-exposed opening to the Offertorio, and the sturdy panache of the brass (the rare cimbasso rasping away) in the Dies Irae.
Upper-gallery trumpets here had also figured in a neat little opener, Carrier, by Belgian post-grad student Maya Verlaak, a three-minute fanfare based on acronyms of ACBH, as blazing as anything by Janacek, and tautly delivered under Christopher Houlding.
Nobody wanted to leave at the end of this very special concert. We’ll all reunite when the Adrian Boult Hall is reborn in the Conservatoire’s new building on Eastside, 15 months from now.
