The Mirror, 15 May 1999
SONGS WORTH PRAISE
I CONTACTED the Arts Council this week, asking for
sponsorship for my latest musical project. What with all the voice-mail around
nowadays, I'm planning to form my own mail-voice choir, with thousands of
answering machines playing in the Royal Albert Hall. Joined by a bass chorus of
speak-your-weight machines and with the female electronic chip from BT's
Directory Enquiries as soprano soloist, we'd be the only choir in Britain who
could guarantee that every note was untouched by human larynx. The idea came to
me as I was waiting for the start of a concert performance of African Sanctus,
by one of our country's finest composers, David Fanshawe. He wrote this
wonderful work over 25 years ago while still a music student, after travelling
across Egypt and Sudan and making numerous recordings there. He then mixed these
with a live western choir and orchestra, and the result was a most unorthodox
setting of the Latin Mass, which combined European harmonies with African chants
and rhythms. If you think that "classical" concerts don't rock on,
then you should have heard the Vasari singers and the percussion group,
Backbeat, performing African Sanctus. This work has enough balls to
out-testosterone Oasis or the Stones, yet it's also touching and profound.
That's why it's now had over 1,000 performances worldwide, yet, inexplicably,
still hasn't been heard at a Prom, which is an outrageous slight on a great
British composer. It's high time it did, so, if you agree, then why not do what
I'm doing? Write to Nicholas Kenyon at the BBC and tell him to put it on.
VICTOR LEWIS-SMITH
David Fanshawe, letter to Vasari Singers 1999
This very long-overdue letter is written to say a big “Thank
You” for the wonderful performance you gave of “African Sanctus” and
“Dona Nobis Pacem” at St John’s Smith Square on 8 May 1999.
As you will appreciate, whilst I was mixing the performance on stage, I was unable to
experience the effect as an audience member. Having now had a chance to listen to the
archive recording, I can safely say, I am thrilled. Please bear in mind, this recording
(unmixed), can never do justice to the actual vocal sounds you produced together with
Backbeat and soprano, Maureen Brathwaite .
Without doubt, Vasari Singers are one of the finest chamber choirs I have ever had the
honour of working with in the world. Under the sensitive direction of your inspired
conductor, Jeremy Backhouse, you delivered a stunning performance of “African
Sanctus”, which was highly contrasted in choral textures, both accurate to the
written note and delivered with utter conviction and passion, in the true spirit of the
work’s ethos. There were so many good things to recall: the exuberant power and drive
of the “Sanctus”, contrasted with the mellifluous lines of the “Kyrie”
and “Gloria” for example. Vasari Singers have wonderful diction, which is also a
joy to listen to.
May I draw your attention to two letters we received from audience members, which further
endorse my feelings about the concert. Thank you too for all your concerted efforts and
very hard work in producing such wonderful singing - it was a real treat to work with a
chamber choir of your stature.
It is my sincere hope that I will have the opportunity of working with you all again, and
I would like to feel that one day, perhaps you might be able to record commercially, some
of my choral music.