San Francisco Classical Voice

The vocal soloists gave good accounts of the interior movements that are more characteristic of Mozart's typical style. The first soprano, Katherine Fuge, sang with a warm, smooth tone — easy, natural, flexible in phrasing — and particularly impressive in the famous “Et incarnatus” solo of the "Credo." This is operatic Mozart with embellishments and a cadenza, but gracefully expressive for all that. It was mass writing of this kind that later engaged the Church's hostile banishment (the Papal Motu proprio of 1903) of orchestrally accompanied liturgical music. Other movements that it deemed too secular in tone included the “Laudamus te” solo for the second soprano and the “Domine Deus” soprano duet (taken much too fast, as was the "Domine Jesu Christe" in the Requiem).

The second soprano, Miriam Allan, found less favor. Although her technique and top register were satisfactory, in most of her range the tone was dry and papery and did not complement Fuge's voice well in the duets.

The expressive high point was the great double chorus “Qui tollis” in the “Gloria” movement, with its implacable jagged double-dotted orchestral accompaniment to the broad-lined chromatic music sung by the chorus. Curiously, expressive weight was not placed on the recurrent “tollis,” but Mozart's gentle, appealing syncopation on miserere (one of the distinctive touches in his text setting) was done lightly and nicely.

The choir gave a sound, professional performance, well balanced if not particularly well blended in the male sections. Jeremy Budd, tenor, served well in the “Quoniam” trio and later in the “Benedictus” quartet, along with a good bass, Michael Bundy. The “R&R” orchestre gave a sound performance, the period-instrument effect coming primarily from excellent winds, the flute, oboe, and bassoon distinguished in the “Et incarnatus.”

With the Requiem, Mozart achieved the stylistic fusion approached 10 years earlier in the C minor Mass. Counterpoint was completely assimilated into his language. Gardiner captured the drama at the heart of the work and the personal character of its expression. The performance was rhythmically strong, and rhythm is the crux of the matter for interpreters and performers of the Requiem. In that respect its music is most advanced and sophisticated. Gardiner brought out the stress accents generated from the text and informing the musical ideas, and the reenforcement of those accents by the orchestra. Here is where the emphasis on the meaning and the expressive purpose are found.

The “Dies irae” opening of the “Sequence” had its furious power. Its second movement, the “Tuba mirum,” was strong as were the bass, Matthew Brook, and his trombone partner. The “Rex tremendae” and “Recordare” quartet were nicely lyrical, the “Confutatis maledictis” intense, and the “Lacrymosa” affecting. Only the “Offertorium” did not match the other movements: its opening “Domine Jesu Christe” unaccountably fast; the “Hostias” overly nuanced.

Soloists for the Requiem were different from those in the Mass. Here it was the mezzo soprano, Claudia Huckle, who surpassed, her tone rich, her phrasing smooth and easy. Brooks was, as mentioned, fine, and the tenor Andrew MacKenzie-Wicks had a bright, satisfying voice. The soprano Elin Manahan Thomas seemed young, a little naive in sound and manner. The Monteverdi Choir was excellent.

In all, this was a musically, expressively persuasive account of Mozart's last great sacred works, enough to render irrelevant the fact that both are incomplete. The import was full and satisfying, the event justifying the attendance of a capacity audience.