Conductor Hans de Wilde bets on the details. He guards just as well for releasing tension curves.
By Maarten-Jan Dongelmans (translated from Dutch)
De Gelderlander June 14, 2010
Concert: Nijmeegs student choir, led by Hans de Wilde with vocal soloists, Martijn en Stefan Blaak on piano.
Heard: 12 june 2010 (Petrus Canisiuskerk, Nijmegen)
What a relief to hear Brahms’ Ein deutsches requiem with four handed piano accompaniment. The vocal allure then gets its deserved place better. Definitely when, like this Saturday night in the Molenstraatkerk, there is a magistrally singing choir.
Very impressive. The student choir of Nijmegen, Alphons Diepenbrock performed with no shortage of clarity, empathy and appearance. This is a group of young singers, full of energy and no fear to be rigorous. The most recent Brahms performance in the region, last month by the Holland Bach Choir, pales in comparison.
Right from the first bars, the fairly crowded church is captured by emotion. First, modesty dominates. Conductor Hans de Wilde bets on the details. He guards just as well for releasing tension curves. Beautiful, how consequently the choir places itself as a beacon of hope by repeating of the word ‘getrostet’. Powerful forte sounds give the listener goosebumps.
There has been much practice on intelligibility. Concentration and discipline certainly enforce respect. Near the end of the ample 70 minute piece the drama rises. Supported by the excellent piano duo Martijn en Stefan Blaak the student choir of Nijmegen fights ever more vigorous. I have never heard the sixth part Denn wir haven hie keine bleibende Stat being sung this fiery.
Bariton Daniel Herman Mostert glories with his crisp, at times demonic voice in Herr, lehre mich (third part). The interaction between the soloist, choir and pianists is optimal. Aylin Sezer has a lot of power, but that is out of place here. In Ein deutsches Requiem the soprano only has to sing the lovely Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit and this fifth part does certainly not ask for resounding singing. Speaking about reverberation: the new ceiling of the Molenstraatkerk makes the acoustics a lot more friendly.