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St. Michael & All Angels Church
November 16, 2007
In my inaugural effort as reviewer, I was pleased be assigned this concert. Everyone knows Bach, he is on most everyone's nomination list for "greatest composer". But his work is performed far too infrequently, especially anything but a small part from the great wealth of cantatas he composed over most of his career. Tony Booker agrees, and has conceived "The Bach Project" to address this dearth.
And the dearth is well addressed. Friday's performance has set a high standard, and future concerts are eagerly awaited.
The program was built around the theme of "Death". But for Bach, death is not just loss, not the end, but a release anticipated with a view to the promises of the hereafter. And the eleven works chosen show the full range of feelings that come along with this.
The musicians were Susan Young, soprano; Kim Greenwood, mezzo; Mike Zastre, tenor; Wade Noble, baritone; Miriam Sonstenes, violin; Mary Jill McCulloch, flute; Rainer Roth, oboe; Alex Olson, bass continuo and Tony Booker, keyboard continuo. In the interests of full disclosure, I should mention that as a chorister I have sung with many of them.
Each piece was introduced by Booker; some of his remarks are incorporated in what follows. Rather than being provided printed text and translations, the audience was read the translation of each piece by its singer or singers.
Because there are so many independent movements, I won't discuss all of them, but select those that were highlights.
The opening (and closing) work was the chorale "Es ist genug" (It is enough) from 0 Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (BWV 60), with tutti ensemble. The chorale harmonization is intense, with a chromaticism astounding even to those familiar with Bach, so much so that it in the early 20th century it attracted the interest of the soon-to-be dodecaphonists. In particular, Alban Berg's 1935 Violin Concerto shows its influence.
The chorale's complexity was clearly revealed. But I am not convinced by this performance that Bach chorales should be left to soloists. The insufficient blend of these different voices detracted.
Among Susan Young's contributions was "Mein Gläubiges Herze" (My heart ever faithful) from Also hat Gott die Welt geliebt (BWV 68). As Bach did so often, he lifted this from an earlier, secular cantata, composed for a Duke's birthday. As with so many Bach arias, the distinction between soloist and accompaniment is blurred, so that the singer is part of a duet or trio. Here the trio included flute and piccolo 'cello (one with an added, higher-tuned string), which part was done by Booker on the piano.
The effect was charming, if disconcerting. The piece is sprightly, with a more "classical" feel than most Bach. Young, Booker and flautist Mary Jill McCulloch were a lively trio; Young conveyed promise and hope effectively. After the soloist finishes, Bach added a ritornello (from another work) performed tutti here.
The most complex cantata represented was Trauer Ode (BWV 198), a work for the funeral of the elector of Saxony, scored for a relatively large orchestra. The overall sound of the aria chosen, 'Der Ewigkeit saphirnes Haus' (imagining the departed princess as dwelling in God's sapphire halls) fared least well being mapping to this small ensemble. But the ensemble rose to the challenge, providing a solid foundation for Mike Zastre's precise tenor. He was true and focused, and conveyed the consolation of the theme.
Another "duet" was the aria "Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust" (Delightful repose, desired longing of the soul), the opening aria of the alto cantata of the same name, BWV 170. The oboe d'amore lays down the theme, which is then is enriched by the alto; meanwhile the violin supports with slurred repeated evenly spaced notes, providing an effect of longing for repose.
Bach's alto writing is more for contraltos, but mezzo-soprano Kim Greenwood did it full justice. Her full, delicately rich voice was just as strong and effective in the low range as the higher. Her quality easily matched Rainer Roth's expressive oboe d'amore. Combined with Miriam Sonstenes's violin, it was one of the few times in the evening that I was lost in the music, unaware of the performers.
For me, the musical highlight was "Es ist Vollbracht" (It is fulfilled) from Sehet, wir gehn hinauf gen Jerusalem (BWV 159). The lush sonorities of oboe and strings combined with a vocal line that gives the singer as much to work with as anything in Bach should cause it to be a staple of any baritone's repertoire. And Wade Noble along with Roth gave it full justice. Noble's chiaroscuro voice, even throughout his range, was used expressively to convey the full intensity of the anticipation of Good Friday. It was also the performance highlight.
These are but a few of the delightful moments this evening. I could wax further, for example on Greenwood and Zastre's dialogue between Hope and Fear ("0 Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort" also from BWV 60). Or on Young and Noble's duet "So hat Gott die Welt Geliebt" (from Erhötes Fleisch und Blut, BWV 173). Or Greenwood and McCulloch's "duet" in another aria from the alto cantata BWV 170.
Also worthy of note is the continuo, Booker and bassist Alex Olson. Only once, in "Bete, aber auch Dabei", was it forced upon us - it was a tad heavy for the gentle forces then in play. Mostly it was unobtrusive precision, supporting the flow of the upper voices.
Similarly unobtrusive was Booker's direction. His tempi were unexceptionable; his use of ritard was appropriate for Bach. The dynamics were effective, and balance between singer and instruments allowing each to be heardwas mostly maintained. He left the singers room for their conveying the effect of the poetry, and let the music speak for itself, which is the best way to perform it.
So it was a wonderful concert, in the fullest sense of the word, full of wonders from Bach's cantatas, presented in a way that displayed the wonder.
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