CONFLUENCES IV: SEVEN ELEMENTS, WILTON CHURCH

SEVEN Elements was the fourth and final work in the Confluences project with author and poet Vikram Seth and composer Alec Roth working in collaboration with violinist Philippe Honoré.

For this final work, receiving its world premiere at Wilton Church, themes from the previous three works (China, Europe and India) were used to produce a song cycle based on the four European elements with the addition of ancient Chinese elements.

Complementing Seven Elements were seven Schubert songs, loosely themed aound the same elements, and performed by tenor James Gilchrist, pictured, and pianist Rustem Hayroudinoff to perfection. Gilchrist, singing the songs in German, and directly at the audience, expressively conveyed the depth of emotion in Schubert’s verse and the addition of The Shepherd on the Rock was appealing.

Following the interval the Roth/Seth song cycle was well received, the Fire element bringing spontaneous applause thanks to the hugely expressive singing yet again of Gilchrist.

This was followed by Seven Elements suite for violin and piano, with the musicians choosing the order of elements, which felt a little self-indulged, before ending with the complementary piece The Hermit on the Ice.

Last year’s commission, The Traveller, in Salisbury Cathedral, was, for me a hard act to follow, particularly for its accessibility, but I am sure Seven Elements will be remembered for its quiet musicianship.

Confluences was a four-year collaboration jointly commissioned by the Salisbury, Chelsea and Lichfield festivals. The Chelsea festival takes place next week and Lichfield festival next month. Radio 3 will be broadcasting Seven Elements from the festival.

- Anne Morris