Josquin (and Jacquet)
VOICES & INSTRUMENTS
Tutor: Andrew Griffiths
Location: St Columba’s RC Church, Chester
Reviewer: Kirsten Flores
This was the first “in person” NWEMF workshop I’ve been to since November 2019, and I was a little unsure what to expect. The great pleasure of these workshops for me has always been a chance to be immersed in the music, chat to like-minded souls, and enjoy a sociable day out. I sincerely hoped that Andrew Griffiths’ workshop on 9 October would embody all these, and I’m delighted to say that I was not disappointed. It was clear that the organisers had taken into account that some people may still feel a bit apprehensive about gathering in groups, but the suggested measures didn’t impinge at all on what was a most enjoyable workshop. And I am most grateful to NWEMF for generously making this workshop available to members free of charge to make up for lack of “in person” events throughout 2020 and much of 2021.
Thanks also to Mark Bertinat who arranged for a change of venue at short notice due to a double-booked wedding at the original church. Fortunately, St Columba’s RC Church in Chester was available, and it was indeed an inspired alternative, with impressive acoustics, striking architecture and ample parking – the perfect combination.
The pre-workshop organisation was excellently handled by Peter Syrus, who made sure beforehand that there was a good mix of voices for the music. Peter had also type-set the scores we sang from, and I think we all enjoyed the occasional tussle between Peter and Andrew as to the appropriate use of accidentals.
Andrew Griffiths is a founder member of Stile Antico, and a sought-after conductor of several choral and instrumental groups. From the beginning of the day, he demonstrated a youthful exuberance and passion for the repertoire that was infectious. He is a man who “likes to understand why one note follows another”, and he demonstrated an excellent understanding of the context in which Josquin composed, and how he influenced his contemporaries and those who followed him. This in turn helped deepen our own understanding of the six pieces we covered. Andrew had clearly taken a lot of time and effort to prepare for the workshop, having prepared a large number of photocopies of original manuscripts with musical and other quotations which were available for us to look at during the breaks.
Details of the music have been covered comprehensively elsewhere, and I enjoyed every piece in different ways, even if there were some obvious challenges for us altos. Andrew’s clear enjoyment of our singing was very encouraging and kept us focused throughout the day. The final piece, Jacquet’s ‘Dum vastos Adriae fluctus’, was the perfect choice as it was a chance for us to “name that tune” and spot the musical references to the pieces we’d sung. Andrew’s preparation resulted in an expertly paced day, and he even finished 2 minutes ahead of schedule. All in all, this was a very enjoyable return to NWEMF workshops, and I hope that Andrew will be returning again in the not-too-distant future.
Kirsten Flores
First published in November 2021 Newsletter
