Jan-Peter de Graaff is a frequent composer. Last year, the world receivedseveral new works from him: the song cycle Parallax orchestral work Event-Horizon a cello concerto The Forest in April and Hammer and Tanz forpiano four hands and two percussionists. Now we have an oratorio: The GoldenCalf. It premiered on Friday on the occasion of the fortieth edition of theMusica Sacra festival in Maastricht.
Conductor Hans Leenders and actor Dries Vanhegen have to wait at least aminute after the choir and musicians have walked onto the stage and theapplause of encouragement has died down. As the choir begins to twirl theirthumbs, navel-gazing, the hall coughs louder and louder. Silence is painful,but it does give time for the program booklet: in the The Golden Calf DeGraaff and lyricist Jibbe Willems set about the exodus of the Israelites andMoses, who stayed on the mountain for so long that the people in good spiritsinvented their own god. They see a parallel with this time, when many people’have an obsession with nostalgia.’ “People are frantically going back to howthey think it used to be,” it says.
Oratory
An oratorio is a musical work with a church story, usually sung by choir andsoloist roles, one of which is often a narrator, accompanied by an orchestra.Unlike opera, an oratorio usually has no staging or directing. A well-knownexample of an oratorio is the St Matthew Passion from Bach.
Eastern border
The Golden Calf lasts about half an hour and sounds from a chorus ofIsraelites from which solo voices occasionally sound, an actor who playsmonologues by Aaron (brother of Moses) and five strings, trumpet, alto oboeand percussion.
The silent minute is over: the music begins tensely with a ‘pling’ on thevibraphone, a fiddle up high and a wailing ‘wawwawwaw’ on the cello that turnsinto a mournful melody ending on an open C string, the lowest. The doublebass, meanwhile, is picking a slow march. Later, the blazers add a mysticalflavor.
Musically De Graaff has sought out the eastern border of Europe and keepsStravinsky close, that is quickly clear. But you also quickly feel that thereis more in it than is currently apparent. Perhaps it is the caution of themusicians of the South Netherlands Philharmonic (the percussionist inparticular has too little courage), but if only a nice full orchestra hadplayed here.
The Golden Calf appears to be a bit diffuse. There is music, but alsotheatre. There is a great story in which there is also a great allegory forthe present to be made clear. And there’s only half an hour left. The resultis that a lot of paint is still wet when another layer is applied. De Graaffsdoes not write simple straightforward music, you have to get into it, butbefore you get that far, Aäron interrupts with a theatrical monologue. Thesame applies to Aaron: before you are in the story, music is already playing.The distance between the two is sharpened because Aaron sounds loudlyamplified from speakers, and the choir and ensemble do not.
Orgy
As if that multiplicity were not enough, a (minimal) directing for Aaron alonewas also sought. It’s uncomfortable to see Vanhegen turn away from theaudience because he has trouble taking off his blouse, only to portray adancing crowd on his own like a farmer with a toothache, clearly only 40%convinced himself. that this was a good idea.
Of course, strong pieces remain: for example how the Israelites we are nowwaiting / for someone to say / do this / do that / do this / do that sing, inwhich the last repetition sounds like church bells. the orgy ( we dance / wesing / we kiss / we drink / free ) on compelling Stravinsky-meets-Disneys-The little Mermaid -like music. Or the end, Aaron’s conclusion that Israelwas closest to the promised land during that orgy.
Finally, the Israelites repeat to Aaron: Thus we wander / to death / throughthe desert / but / the promised land / was that night / so damn near. Forexample, De Graaff and Willems send you out of the room at the last minutewith a big question: because if the Israelites thought so too, why in God’sname do they follow Moses?