Usper & Bassano
VOICES & INSTRUMENTS
Tutor: Roger Wilkes
Location: Didsbury Baptist Church
Reviewer: David Rowley
I was unfamiliar with both Usper and Bassano, but the chance to sing in company again after all this time was not to be missed. A dozen instrumentalists and about 14 singers gathered in Didsbury Baptist Church in September. We were a little tentative at first, having mostly not sung or played in the company of others for 18 months or more. But Roger Wilkes welcomed us and made us feel comfortable with a seating plan and music laid out ready on our chairs.
This church is quite large for a modern building which meant we were able to be spaced well apart. The early music instruments, which included sackbuts, recorders and curtals, were placed across the front of the choir, which worked well. In each work, the instruments formed part of each choir, playing along with SATB as required, which provided considerably stability for the singers.
Taking account of our somewhat rusty state when it came to singing and playing together, Roger warmed us up with a Tallis Doxology in canon. We were all relieved to discover that our voices had not disappeared, but had only been in hiding during lockdown. Indeed, the sound we managed to make caused Roger to remark that the church had an “Acoustic Halo”.
So, on to the featured composers. Giovanni Bassano was born in Venice in about 1560 and died there in 1617. We started with his Laetentur Coeli (Let the Heavens Rejoice) in two choirs, each SATB. Again, there was relief and pleasure to discover that we could sing and play through the work without too much difficulty. The piece is highly rhythmical and could be considered “bouncy”, with the two choirs passing the music to each other. The second run through was considered a success.
After a break, we moved on to a second piece by Bassano: Sancta et Immaculata Virginitas (Holy and Spotless Virginity), also employing a pair of SATB choirs. This was quite different from the first piece, being much slower and more majestic. Again, the choirs passed the music between themselves, but this time with several sections of full eight-part music, which was good to hear, and to be part of.
After the break for lunch, we moved on to Francesco Usper. This is the name by which he is known, but he was born Francesco Sponga (or Spongia) in Rovigno, Istria (now Rovinj, Croatia). He took the name Usper when he acted as tutor to Cesare Usper, son of his patron. He settled in Venice before 1586 and is associated with the confraternity St. Giovanni Evangelista. He spent most of his life there, serving as organist, chaplain, manager of the adjoining church and administrative officer. Usper studied under Andrea Gabrieli and apparently became a fairly well-known composer.
We started with Usper’s Benedicam Dominum (I will bless the Lord), written for two choirs but this time SATB and ATTB. This started as a stately piece with the choirs passing the music between each other, as with Bassano, but nearly half of the work is an eight-part syncopated Alleluia which was very interesting to sing and play. We all agreed that it sounded very good, which was highly satisfying.
On to Usper’s Beatus qui intelligit (Blessed is he that considereth), written for two choirs: SATB and ATBB. The names of the parts are slightly confusing – the upper choir is marked Secundus and the lower choir is marked Primus, except for the lower choir’s Bass II line, which is marked Barytonus Secundus. Another quite stately piece with frequent changes between 4/2 and 3/1. Usper made good use of the breadth of his singers, using both very high notes and very low notes at the extremes of the choirs’ voices.
A final break led us to Usper’s Pulchra es, amica mea (Thou art beautiful, my love). Single choir with six parts this time: SSATTB. Quite solemn in tone although it moves along fairly briskly and with plenty of interest for each part.
Finally, Usper’s Nudus egressus sum (Naked came I out) for single six-part choir SSATTB. This started with a fugue section then broadened into a full six-part piece of counterpoint with each part having complex rhythms to fit into the overall sound. I fancied that I could hear music of a type which would influence Bach in years to come.
Thanks to everybody involved, to all the singers and instrumentalist, to the organisers of the event and to Roger for his good-natured leadership of this most enjoyable day. It was a relief to get back to singing and playing together. I certainly plan to check out what other delights these two composers have left for us.
David Rowley
First published in November 2021 Newsletter
