The Irish Chamber Orchestra, directed by Thomas Zehetmair, recently held a concert at St Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny, setting a precedence by performing English music, which hasn’t typically been a part of their concert repertoire. The opening piece was Vaughan Williams’s Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, followed by the inaugural Irish performance of Errollyn Wallen’s Dances for Orchestra – a piece originally commissioned in collaboration with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Swedish Chamber Orchestra and debuted in Edinburgh the previous November.
The Vaughan Williams piece, originally drafted for the Three Choirs festival at Gloucester Cathedral back in 1910, then revised in 1919, takes its theme from The English Hymnal, where it was set to fresh lyrics by the composer. The piece is designed in a way that echoes the vast acoustics of a cathedral, creating an impressively grand soundscape with two string orchestras and a string quartet. Under the astute guidance of lead conductor Zehetmair, the performance in the Kilkenny Cathedral was a delight to the audience.
Notably, Wallen, a British composer hailing from Belize, stands out in history as the first black woman to have a piece performed at the BBC Proms in London, a century after the start of the festival. More recently, she has stirred discussions with her reworked version of Jerusalem for the Last Night of the Proms.
Wallen’s Dances for Orchestra is a lively and vibrant composition, filled with modern rhythmical escalations and vivid tones, broadly upbeat but not overwhelmingly impressive. Regardless, the Irish Chamber Orchestra’s performance in Kilkenny favoured Vaughan Williams’s fantasia, offering an immersive and intricate experience in a setting that accentuated all its best qualities.
Zehetmair’s approach to the Viennese classics distinguishes him from his predecessor at the ICO, Jörg Widmann, who notably adopted a style marked by extreme intensity, relentless drive, and occasionally a lack of depth. Zehetmair differs by giving his musical interpretation more depth, more room for nuance and a greater sense of control. This modulation does not mean that he lacks impact during high points. Rather, his methods, imbued with subtle expressiveness, are profound, intricate and effortless, leaving a lasting impression.