Gabriel Adédèjì
(3 / 5)
Andrew Watts & Gavin Roberts
(4 / 5)
In something different at Wigmore lies their Sessions. Placed compactly into their Learning Room downstairs we were hit with congos, saxs and an upright piano. Gabriel Adédèjì introduced all his pieces rather modestly and with an openness. The freshness to the work sees jazz, blues and music from his native Nigeria. All of the pieces were in his native local lounge, (through Yorùbá folklore) and his singing voice is quiet, though refined. His friends: Isreal (Olá) Akindipe, Pietro Lacopini and Hannah Ledwidge gave thriving robust bursts of percussion and woodwind. Together all this was very fine, the African spirit of the whole fifty minutes rang true. I’d be thrilled to see more laid back session of the time at Wigmore.
Gabriel Adédèjì
Following on the next afternoon, Andrew Watts & Gavin Roberts gave a bizarre recital, one that often delighted. Watts has a following as a countertenor, a vocal group which attracts a gay following, more on that later. H K Gruber’s ‘3 Simple Songs’ would evoke Kurt Weill and Cabaret, fun all round a way to break us into the recital. Dame Thea Musgrave who has turned 96 is still composing, whipped up the new work: ‘Orlando’s return to London…as a WOMAN from ORLANDO – an Escapde’ Yes…that is how it was billed in the programme. Virginia Wolfe’s gender bending tale of an eternal figure of Orlando sees grief, yearning and hope. We’ve seen the countertenor in the tale before: Jimmy Somerville in Sally Potters film version is proof of this. The change in gender is now contextualised for rightful trans purposes. Musgrave have eloquence and vigour abound in this direct page rip from the book.
We had more new work, that from Raymond Yiu and his ‘Chinese Whispers’. Perhaps the most fascinating music on the programme, it went between verses breaking down the Chinese Communist Party’s love-hate relationship with Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Policing and protest chants are the calling card to the piece, a break down as to why the symphony was performed in the past, but is now forbidden is expanded upon. Each verse is spread to the left and right of the page as we read along, adding to the poetry. A direct quotation from ‘Ode to Joy’ is all the more radical in this context. Yet, there was a lingering sadness to the piece: there are of course many works of music and media contraband in China.
The direct, effecting words of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, in Joseph Howard and his ‘Opium songs’ proved a highlight. With Charles Ives in sound and more sombre chords, this is a blunt depiction of drug use and one certainly of its time. Louise Drewett and two sweet songs had a feel of the musical theatre to them, honest insights and a simplicity of tone: ‘How I Heard’ and ‘Lament’. Watts has called this concert ‘A Countertenor Songbook’, all work within has written for him in mind. It’s clear he is popular and his voice is sharp, delivering nuance aplenty. The chemistry with accompanist Gavin Roberts proves fruitful. They’ve no doubt done concerts together loads and Roberts playing all these premieres with ease and a stillness of musicality is impressive.
Geoffrey King added to further queer themes with an inspired literally choice of ‘For Your Convenience – a guide to London’s Loos’ by John Poole from Paul Pry. Gay men have always found a way around the system and in the 1930s when it was still illegal, a work like this would be shared. From spoken advice to the printed form, this was also before Polari was used, gay men utilised this mixing of languages and puns to protect themselves. Their is innuendo in these ‘listicle’ songs, though it’s slight and could be easily missed by the masses. The ‘Cottaging culture’ depicted in this work has funny interludes, a melodica solo and many recognisable slices of the city, locals would know to this day.
Michael Nyman and his tender ‘If’ would be the send off, in a recital of many colours, beliefs and emotion.