Christmas still seemed a long way off on Friday, December 12th. Yet waiting in a sold-out Leuven Begijnhofkerk was a 'Concerto di Natale'…
It was a benefit concert, Concerto di Natale Christmas in 17th-century Venice, in support of the KULeuven Grief Care Fund Léo Amoës, whose operations were explained by Martijn Steegen, head of the university pastoral service. Twenty-two vocalists and nearly as many players of authentic instruments assembled around conductor Marleen Reynders. All in black, with here and there a touch of warm red: a little flower, a sash, coquettish shoes…
The opener unmistakably pointed toward Christmas: 'Hodie Christus natus est' by Giovanni Gabrieli. Yes, we knew that one. And Monteverdi, of course. And Francesco Cavalli too. But, oh dear, the other names on the program! Benedetto Re, Alessandro Grandi, Caterina Assandre, Chiara Cozzolani! As many unfamiliar names and just as many surprising discoveries. And therein lies precisely one of the many qualities of the venerable, inspiring source, guiding spirit and driving force behind the ensemble Capella Nova since 1993, Marleen Reynders. As a Master's degree holder in Musicology, specializing in early music, she chose with expertise heavenly music that shone four centuries ago in the San Marco and many other Venetian churches but which has missed the path to widespread recognition. Two-part, à 4, à 8, the musical abundance was overwhelming.
So the 'Canzona à 4 in risposta' from circa 1607 by Benedetto Re was a delightful confrontation of the gentle singing of the baroque cello and bass recorder with the sharp cornetto of Marleen Leicher and the violin of An Van Laethem. The motet 'O bone Jesu' by Monteverdi was an intense dialogue between soprano Hanne Raport-Hautekiet and Brigitte Maes with her excellent diction. In 'Lauda Jerusalem' by Francesco Cavalli, the theorbo of Walter Zwiekhorst was the red thread in a tapestry of sounds. 'Duo Seraphim' by Caterina Assandra allowed three male voices to blend perfectly into each other, those of tenors Jan Peters and Kris de Bruijn and the warm bass Kris Lemmens, who during his studies picked up a grain of the mustard from icon Lucienne Van Deyck in Mechelen.
As if that weren't beautiful enough, then cello and wind players launched into a cheerful 'Laetatus sum'. The entering voices and the driving rhythm confirmed it: still a feather in the cap for Monteverdi and his 'Vespro della Beata Vergine'.
The closing piece 'Magnificat Primo', also by Monteverdi, even gave the impression of festive bell-ringing. This, together with the enthusiastic commitment of all performers, the friendly atmosphere and the understandable satisfaction of the too-modest conductor Marleen Reynders, deserving of high praise, brought Christmas very close indeed.