NACO rises to challenge: Monteverdi's Vespers opens season

Claudio Monteverdi was one of the most profound and original composers in the history of music, and many people consider the Vespers of the Blessed Virgin, which opened the National Arts Centre Orchestra's season Wednesday night, his greatest achievement.

Written in 1610, nearly 400 years ago, it is to the 17th century what Bach's St. Matthew Passion is to the 18th and the Verdi Requiem to the 19th. But because of its remote idiom it can be difficult to convey the score's many wonders to a general audience. The recent emphasis on period instruments has helped -- on recordings at least.

The conductor for the NACO's Vespers was Martin Pearlman, whose recording of the work with his own ensemble, Boston Baroque, set new standards last year. He led the disparate forces assembled Wednesday in a competent and credible performance, good enough that the audience could experience the work, even if the effect was not overwhelming.

The instrumental forces approximated an authentic ensemble. True, the bowed strings were all modern, except for a viol da gamba played beautifully by a woman unnamed in the program. But there were theorbos, a portatif organ, harpsichord and, most interestingly, three cornettos.

The cornetto was on the verge of obsolescence even in Monteverdi's time. It looks like a warped oboe without any keys, but it is played with puckered lips, like a trumpet. In fact, it sounds a lot like a thin-voiced trumpet. When used in ensemble with the trombones Wednesday, it produced a beautiful, archaic sound.

There were only 16 regular members of the orchestra on the stage, the rest of the instrumentalists being extras hired for the occasion. Finding the cornetists must have been a particular challenge.

The Cantata Singers of Ottawa did the choral honours, not always without difficulty, but admirably well all things considered. Monteverdi asked things of his choir that few composers since have dreamt of. Among other things, the choir has to be divided into different configurations many times during the Vespers and must sing as many as eight separate lines. And the rhythms can be maddeningly complex.

In the first half of the concert, the choral singers had a few problems with entries, and tended to sound less than assured about rhythm generally. They warmed up as the evening wore on, however, and sounded more convincing in many of the numbers toward the end.

There were seven solo singers, some of whom specialize in early music, and all of whom had the technique and stylistic knowledge to sing Monteverdi convincingly.

There were no weak members of the vocal septet. Tenor William Hite was especially impressive with the expressive range he brought to this very difficult score.

All in all, a fitting season opening for the National Arts Centre Orchestra.