St John's Smith Square

[Belinda]

First Night reviews



The Times December 14, 2005

Times2

Concert: Hayley Westenra
Geoff Brown at St John's Smith Square, SW1




This is a strange venue for a girl singer who rides waves of hype (“the voice of an angel,” shouted The New York Times) and whose second album, Odyssey, occupies Russell Watson’s former perch on top of the UK classical charts. But then Hayley Westenra — 18 years old and New Zealand’s pride and joy — is a strange, almost otherworldly, creature, not least in the audience she gathers.
If she were a sluttily dressed pop diva, with rock songs to match, she’d no doubt round up a lusty following of her own age. In fact this naturally gifted charmer seems primarily a magnet for the middle-aged. Remember, her first album for her musical minders, Decca, was called Pure. She sings before presidents. She’s a Unicef National Ambassador, and practically the patron saint of Classic FM. Her outfit on Monday — unrevealing, lemon-yellow, no bling — suggested a handmaiden at a Druid ceremony. Westenra, in short, is Middle of the Road incarnate, and as tasteful as buttered toast.



Sweet, too, with her demure innocence and girlie laughs. And the angel tag of critics and publicists has not been earned lightly: her basic voice peals like the prettiest bell and she can soar without strain, unlike most of the crossover poppets. Since Pure two years ago the tone has rounded out slightly and acquired some vibrato: no bad thing. But still, this toast could do with jam. Westenra is an angel who mixes her repertoire, yet makes everything sound the same.

Whether traditional Maori, mildly classical, a Christmas carol, or a song from the Lord of the Rings soundtrack, everything is slow, romantically inclined, the words slurred, the experience shaped like a drooping leaf, with rippling accompaniment from piano, violin and cello.

She’s also an angel who sings closely miked. It’s a crossover habit, but I wish Westenra and her touring musical director, Ian Tilley, would listen closely to the results. Amplification distorts, sullies, adds an acid edge. Thanks partly to the mike, only about three words of the Lord of the Rings song May It Be were audible.

Her sets came interposed with classical trinkets from Fiona Pears’s violin and the cellist/recorder player, known only as Helen. It was a tasteful evening, often soothing, always bloodless. Hopefully Westenra’s future odyssey will supply her with greater meat and fibre: otherwise we’re in for a lifetime of musical tofu.










ALSO

[roger]

And so the tour comes to an end. This final concert followed the same programme as those in Tewkesbury, Banbury and Milton Keynes except that for reasons which were never explained, the songs were performed in a slightly different order. I expect Hayley did it on purpose to make sure I was paying attention!

Thank you Hayley for your wonderful performances and for the time you gave to all of us. Have a safe journey home and a very Christmas.

St Johns, Smith Square, London - 12th December 2005

Roger

[Steve H]

I can only think that the learned gentleman was at a different venue and performance to the one I witnessed and enjoyed so much earlier this week. I am not sure that Hayley needs to change anything, I like her just as she is, still I guess we are all entitled to our opinion, and thats all it is HIS opinion.

[Dave]

Thanks for posting that review Belinda, it's nice enough, nothing too awful lurks in there. I think we are seeing a pattern here: one person's soothing relaxation is another person's blandness. As I agree with the first part of his review but not the final paragraph, it's quite easy to guess my point of view (and it isn't the "b" word!)

Factual errors apart (Fiona Pears wasn't there!), he did make one good point: about the use of mikes. I've said it before and I'll say it again: very few sound systems in public venues are up to the high standard of excellence required by a soprano voice such as Hayley's. Very few indeed - and at St John's Smith Square it was of average technical quality. Venue acoustics are of course a factor, too. At the other end of the scale, Shewsbury Abbey on the previous Saturday was one of the best - but even there it was less good than my fussy ears would prefer!

How do I know this? Well I am honoured to have heard and seen Hayley sing on two occasions a capella and completely un-miked. There was the duet with Holly Holyoake in the foyer of St David's Hall, Cardiff last year and the other occasion was... oh, there goes my memory again!!! (all will be revealed soon enough). Fortunately, when Hayley sings, it is very easy to forget any technical issues, very easy indeed!

Dave

[Richard]

Many thanks for the review Belinda!

At least Geoff Brown was honest about his opinion, and he did give it three stars. He also mentioned several of the reasons why we all like Hayley so much! Just for the record, I'll post a direct link to the article here.

I would like to add that I thoroughly enjoyed Hayley's concert at St. John's Smith Square, and so did several hundred other people! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

----------------------

Hayley, I must thank you for all your hard work this year. All your concerts and TV appearances have been wonderful, and I'm looking forward to seeing you again in the New Year. Meanwhile I hope you and all your family have a very happy and relaxing Christmas, and enjoy your break in New Zealand.

Lots of Love,

Richard xxx

[roger]

Following on from Dave's observations, the cellist/recorder player was NOT only known as Helen as stated in the Times' review. Her full name was announced; in fact the ensemble is the Helen Fitzgerald Trio.

Roger

[tonyw]

I was seated in the centre at St John's and the sound seemed fine to me. Nobody seems to have mentioned that Hayley performed one of my favourites "Mists of Islay". I have looked at the reviews of the other venues on this tour and this song is not mentioned on the set lists. Perhaps Roger can enlighten me? I have not heard it "live" before.

I have now booked two tickets for Il Divo/Haley at Wembley on 12/4/06. They are selling fast!

[Steve H]

Thanks for the picture Tony, It is great that that Hayley takes the time out to meet her followers, sign memorabilia and have photos taken, and the bonus on this occasion was that Jill was willing to help out and take the photos for us. 'Mists of Islay' was indeed a rare treat and didn't she sing it beautifully!

[roger]

tonyw said:

....Nobody seems to have mentioned that Hayley performed one of my favourites "Mists of Islay". I have looked at the reviews of the other venues on this tour and this song is not mentioned on the set lists. Perhaps Roger can enlighten me? I have not heard it "live" before.

Hi Tony,

OMG, you had me worried there for a moment! Actually, I did mention 'The Mists of Islay' in my review of the Shrewsbury Abbey concert HERE in paragraph 10.

To my knowledge, this song was only included in Shrewsbury and St John's, Smith Square. It was definitely not included in Tewkesbury, Banbury of Milton Keynes. I am not sure about the other venues which I did not attend.

I agree with you Tony, it is a really lovely song, especially when Hayley sings it!

Roger

[Richard]

Hello Tony!

I thoroughly enjoyed Hayley's rendition of "Mists of Islay" at St. John's Smith Square, and it was the first time I've heard her sing it live. I wasn't at the Shrewsbury concert last Saturday, but Hayley said they changed the running order for the show at St. John's. I made a note of all the songs, so here is the revised order.

First Half

Hayley
Ave Maria - Caccini
Mists Of Islay
May It Be

Helen (recorder)
Winter from the Four Seasons - Vivaldi (2nd movement)

Fiona (violin)
Salut d'Amour - Elgar

Hayley
Never Saw Blue
Ave Maria - Schubert
Amazing Grace

Interval

Second Half

Helen (recorder)
Pavane - Fauré

Fiona (violin)
Czardas - Monti

Hayley
Pokarekare Ana
Bridal Ballad (from the Merchant of Venice)
In Trutina
Prayer
Hine e Hine

Encore
Gabriel's Message
Silent Night

I hope you don't mind, but I've added codes to your post to display the lovely picture of you with Hayley!

Happy Christmas, and I look forward to seeing you again in the New Year.

Richard

[postscript]

Hi folks!

Thank you Belinda for The Times quote--it is timely!

Since the microphone subject is now in the public arena I do not think I am breaching trust in a couple of conversations I had intended to keep to myself for some time.

I did make oblique reference to the subject, in my Huddersfield report, but that was the only comment I was going to make. That comment referred to a hope that the sound system at Huddersfield would be revamped as well as the organ and the hall generally.

I also engimatically raised the question of the gradual maturing of Hayley's voice.and whether a time would come when she would dispense with a micropone.

WhaI I think is crucial is that she is not pressured in any way to make a change or to bring forward any changes for which she herself is not happy. We must respect her decisions as to what and how she paces her development.

In the mean time, perhaps the answer is that she should steer clear of venues where an existing inhouse system is thrust upon her as part of the contractual obligation.

I believe her usual travelling gig has a far superior and more sophisticated mechanism than any inhouse system, except a major venue, will ever harbour, backed by superior technical expertise.

The Times criticism applies to Huddersfield but I did not mention it in my report because it is outside Hayley's control and it was a superb evening. I do not think many of the audience were distressed by it although a specific comment was made by someone next to me, uninvited.

Ironicaly, i cannot recall who ran the sound system at St John's. Was it inhouse? I have a feeling it was and I was aware of the problem slightly but had been happy to ignore it.

The problem is that if one adopts the posture I suggested, only doing those events where Hayley can run her own sound team in, Huddersfiled would not have happened and that would have been a crying shame. It was a magnificent.evening.

I do not know what it is, the uniqueness of Hayley's voice, its ability to rapidly ascend or descend through half-notes and rapidly reach and hold crescendoes, that makes too many demands on basic systems, when multi-channel ablity to handle specific frequencies are necessary.

In a recording studio it is not just the banks of frequency range slide controls but the number of microphones and the ability to balance the whole againast the indvidjual performers.that ensures the CDs we buy, likewise electronically produced throgh a microphone (but of very high quality) are acceptable.

We need to remember that even at Carnegie Hall they didn't get it right--and that was a fault of basic feedback!

Horses for courses. Hayley, with question marks over which she has no control, but we get Hayley: or a safe-playing Hayley, who doesn't take risks, leaving us with fewer opportunities.

I think our option is for the bold self-confident Hayley who is prepared to take strategic risks, don't you? After all, what does Hayley herself want? The girl just wants to sing and given no other option I reckon she'd go back to doing it on the street!

Peter

[Richard]

Hello Peter!

I was quite happy with the sound at St. John's Smith Square, but I was in the middle of the front row very close to Hayley. I would have been one seat further away from her, but Dave wanted to swap seats with me! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

I did notice that Hayley was using a different microphone. Usually she uses a radio mike, but here she used one with a cable, so I was slightly worried she might get the lead tangled or trip over it. Radio mikes definitely make any performance tidier.

Happy Christmas,

Richard

[roger]

postscript said:

Since the microphone subject is now in the public arena.....

Peter

This may or may not be significant to this conversation but one of Hayley's rather expensive microphones was stolen relatively early in the tour.

Roger