MUSIC REVIEW : Early Music in Perfect Site, But Imperfect

Few local musical organizations enjoy the luxury of performing in halls tailored to their needs. San Diego Opera, for example, uses the all-purpose Civic Theatre, and the San Diego Symphony is housed in a refurbished movie palace. But Saturday night, Nota Bene, a recently formed early music ensemble, was able to present its program of Lenten Renaissance music in the University of San Diego’s ornate Founders Chapel.

In terms of sheer congruence, hearing Pierre de la Rue’s haunting Requiem Mass and Josquin’s motet “Ave Verum Corpus” performed in front of the chapel’s high altar with its gilded icons was a privilege. If only Nota Bene had prepared the seven-movement Requiem with the concern for exquisite detail apparent in the chapel’s splendid decoration.

The six group members displayed a sympathetic ear for the rhythmic vitality of the work’s sinuous lines, and they produced intermittent moments of sweetly devotional harmonies. In the Offertorium, for example, tenor Stephen Sturk appropriately animated that apocalyptic prayer, and Virginia Sublett’s soaring soprano brought out the rapturous quality of the Psalm “Sicut Cervus.” But the Introit and Kyrie suffered that tentative edginess that comes from insecure ensemble, and the group’s intonation was less than rock solid. Although Sturk did some modest, effective conducting while singing, Nota Bene lacked a firm overall sense of direction.

The room’s acoustics were not favorable to Roger Pines’ countertenor, although his lack of focus also diminished his contribution. Instrumentalist Lewis Peterman provided the most reliable support on viol, although recorder player Paula Peterman and Marianne Richert Pfau on rankett (a miniaturized prototype of the modern bassoon) were less solid.

Nota Bene complemented the program’s sacred music with sprightly renditions of polyphonic carnival songs by Giovane da Nola. With singers adding a touch of percussion, these pre-Lenten party songs showed the group’s ability to capture the Renaissance ethos with stylish ease. Notable was “Noi Tre Madonna,” a song about members of the bell-maker’s guild, in which the cleverly constructed counterpoint imitated the ringing of bells.

To give the singers a rest, Nota Bene larded the program with dutifully played recorder trios. Their effect was just this side of soporific. Such pieces were written for the amusement of players, although they do make suitable background music while watching amateur jugglers at those once-ubiquitous Renaissance fairs.