Giovanni Consort’s Games of Love and Chance channels romantic tension of Schumann and Brahms

Song cycles by two composers with a shared romantic interest seemed an obvious choice for Giovanni Consort’s Games of Love and Chance recital at South Perth and Nedlands this weekend.

Robert Schumann’s Spanishes Liederspiel (Spanish Song Play) looked west and Johannes Brahms’ Zigeunerlieder (Gypsy Songs) looked east for poetic inspiration, though both men were united in devotion to Schumann’s wife Clara.

Postponed due to illness, this concert was the first time in a decade Giovanni had presented as a quartet and proved well worth the wait.

Schumann’s 12-song suite opened with Adrian Soares’ agile piano supporting a sonorous sorority of soprano Erin Bussanich and alto Stephanie Thyer in “Erste Begegnung” (First encounter); close harmony flowing as freely as the mysterious river evoked in the lyric.

Tenor Keaton Staszewski-Hose and bass David Woods continued in similar style with “Intermezzo”; a confluence of tone over gently rippling piano in an intimate invitation to adventure.

Drama surfaced in “Liebesgram” (Love’s sorrow), a tinge of anguish infesting soprano and alto then resolving to consolation, the parting line “Wirst ruhig sein” (You shall be at rest) almost a sigh on a breeze of piano counterpoint.

Alto rich in timbre appealed to lost love in “Hoch, hoch sind die Berge” (High, high are the mountains), with pathos in every pore, while delicate vibrato in soprano set up a duet with tenor, chiming in sympathetically for “In der Nacht” (In the night).

All four singers launched enthusiastically into “Es ist verrathen” (It cannot be concealed), a paean to passion over undulating waves of wholesome harmony.

Celebration continued in “Flutenreicher Ebro” (Surging River Ebro); bass singing the praises of bountiful nature, ringing out with relish.

“Melancholie” (Melancholy) followed; a sombre soprano solo yearning for morning in searching phrases echoed between voice and piano, building to operatic intensity in an agonised cadence.

Tenor cooled the mood for “Gestandniss” (Confession), a simple expression of devotion edged with the desperation of romantic distemper.

Bass then changed pace in “Der Contrabandiste” (The Smuggler); a furtive portrayal of guilt and guile with a patina of patter song in the climax, racing away from the revenue men.

Soprano and alto returned to romance with “Botschaft” (A message), its pangs of passion wrapped in floral allusions. Bussanich and Thyer pealed sweetly with barely concealed delight, though tinged by caution — “Kann so schnell auch Liebe welken?” (Can love too wither so quickly?).

All four then united in defiance for “Ich bin geliebt” (I am loved), an anthemic finale with alto highlights to ice the offering.

After the interval, a piano solo of Intermezzo in A major bridged the transition to Brahms in tender phrasing from Soares, a well-judged prelude to Gypsy Songs.

Drawing on Hungarian sources, Brahms offered a contrast to Schumann’s very German palette, with florid lines in piano and voices weaving an exotic tapestry for the invocation, “Zigeuner, greife in die Saiten ein!” (Gypsy, sound your strings!).

Melodrama followed in “Hochgeturmte Rimaflut” (Towering Rima); another river-themed tribute, its rushing waters redolent of romantic frustration.

Tenor led a balladic introduction to “Wisst ihr, wann mein Kindchen am allerschonsten ist?” (Do you know when my little girl is at her loveliest?), a contrapuntal chorus in praise of a young beloved answered by soprano in collegial style.

“Lieber Gott” (Dear God), an episode of doubt and angst, wallowed in true Romantic vein before a break to the bucolic, lusty lyrics of “Braune Bursche” (A swarthy lad), then an easy segue to “Roslein dreie” (Three little roses), a parlour ballad fitting Brahms’ intent to write music for the home (aka chamber music).

Tenor led “Kommt mir manchmal in den Sinn” (Do you sometimes recall), a Lorelei-like lament, echoed by the quartet with soprano ornaments before carrying the same palette and passion into “Horch, der Wind klagt” (Hark, the wind grieves).

Suddenly, “Weit und breit schaut niemand mich an” (Far and wide no one looks at me) broke the silence between verses with ebullient piano and voice in a bold declaration of love.

“Mond verhullt sein Angesicht” (The moon veils her face) led out high then low voices in call and response before combining in lavish intonation to fall quiet in the cadence.

Finally, “Rote Abendwolken ziehn” (Red evening clouds drift) closed the cycle in a serenade to sunset, cascading colourfully with the dying of the light.

A contrasting encore of Chanarcito, by Argentine composer Carlos Guastavino, offered authentic Spanish lyrics and Latin lilt, intoned by four engaging voices with delicacy and charm.

Giovanni Consort next present Christmas Sparkle on December 16 and 17.