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MAD, BAD AND DELICIOUSLY DANGEROUS TO KNOW – LIVING ON THE DARK SIDE WITH RED PRIEST

NIGHTMARE IN VENICE Dorian DOR90305

In their first CD, ‘Priest on the Run’ (2/99), Red Priest set their stall out as a group intent on pushing the expressive devices of Baroque music to its limits, and then some. With more than a few wacky ideas, and impish sense of humour and the astonishing virtuosity of recorder-player Piers Adams backed up by the gameness of his colleagues, it made for an exciting ride, even if it was not one that one would like to take too regularly.

Now they return with ‘Nightmare in Venice’, in which Vivaldi’s demonic aspect provides an entrée into a selection of music inspired by witches, satyrs, furies, demons and the like. So, alongside Vivaldi’s dream-depiction La Notte, we get suitably nefarious dances drawn from the 17th-century English stage, some ‘demon airs’ from Leclair’s only opera, and a free (very free, actually) adaptation of Corelli’s La Folia variations, all recast for recorder, flute [sic], cello and harpsichord. Less obviously on the dark side are a concerto from Vivaldi’s Op 3, and 17th century sonatas in phantasticus style by Cima and Castello.

Once more there is a whole load of fun being had here, and a listener would have to be a most unresponsive character not to let out the odd gasp and guffaw. As well as the vivid contrasts and strongly bent tempi, there are vocal contributions (hisses, cat-noises and cackles in Johnson’s ‘Witches’ Dance’), instrumental effects (teeth-jangling sul ponticello in the same piece, computer-like detatched recorder notes in Purcell’s ‘Fairy Dance’), and quite a few spooky vibrati and twiddles. There are also some unconventional interpolations, including at least two unscheduled visits to later centuries.

Such imagination is admirable, but I’m sure I am not alone in wanting to look beyond these for signs of real musicianship, and in movements such as Purcell’s sweet and touching ‘Rondeau’ or the Larghetto of the Vivaldi RV522, Red Priest show they can engage at a deeper level; the Vivaldi in particular is movingly shaped. Red Priest sound like distinctly dangerous company; but perhaps an occasional night out with them would be no bad thing.

Lindsay Kemp

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