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CHORAL REVIEW
A Requiem to Dispel Summer Doldrums
August 3, 2001
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By Ching Chang
In spite of its familiarity, Johannes Brahms' massive Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem) is hardly the sort of opus I think of enjoying casually in late summer, when the days are long and sunny and the average concertgoer is still purging that pesky, perky feel of outdoorsy festivals. With soaring melodies of contemplative beauty set against passages of intense tragedy and thrilling contrapuntal outbursts, this work of extreme contrasts demands responses both analytical and emotional from the listener. All the more remarkable, then, that the San Francisco Choral Society, conducted by Robert Geary, fulfilled the composer's requirements with such gripping honesty and integrity on Friday in Davies Hall, delivering an exceptionally fine reading of the Requiem.
And to think this event seemed doomed at the outset, when it became apparent that some of the event's logistical aspects had been clumsily planned. Bells announcing the start of the performance began ringing while the line of patrons at the box office was still spilling halfway down the block, setting off a frantic commotion. Later, inside the hall, with the conductor on the podium, ready to give the downbeat, a cellist, delayed by an accident on the bridge, burst onstage (still not fully attired), igniting a disconcerting rush of laughter in the hall right before the solemn "Selig sind" ("Blessed are they who mourn") opening. It also necessitated an additional tuning session.
But fortunately the mishaps did not affect the level of the presentation. The evening was vindicated by the sheer strength of a performance superior by any measure. Geary led his 150-voice Choral Society in a beautifully perceptive, intensely felt reading, accompanied by the excellent musicians of the California Chamber Symphony. From the massive walls of human sound in "Tod, wo ist dein Stachel?" ("Death, where is thy sting?") to the tender reaffirmation of the opening statement in the work's conclusion, the forces assembled seemed ideally proportioned and well equipped to meet the composer's demands. Some of the chosen tempi were too fast for my taste — particularly in the heavenly fourth movement, "Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen" ("How lovely is thy dwelling place") — but it was obvious that Geary had a clear vision of the work's architecture.
Soprano Laura Decher, with a lovely voice of beautiful light and dark contrasts, delivered the lush tonal coloration of the touching fifth movement solo with jeweled refinement. Her only fault was a slight tendency toward a fluttery vibrato in the uppermost registers. Bass Kenneth Goodson offered his solos with elegant and distinctive vocalism combined with a marvelous dramatic sense. His third movement appellation "Herr, lehre doch mich," was rendered with uncommon psychological insight, sung with the dignified humility of a Hans Sachs. A former student of Fischer-Dieskau, Goodson has appeared as a soloist in various festivals and orchestras, in both Germany and the United States. Praise also to the California Chamber Symphony (a local professional orchestra specializing in providing orchestral accompaniment to choral groups), which performed Brahms' score with great sensitivity and polish. Particularly impressive were its woodwind principals, serving dutifully the many incidental obbligati with a clear and limpid tone. Also on the program was a Choral Society repeat performance of "Ubi caritas et amor," Morten Lauridsen's motet for large chorus. With its easy melodic flow and soothing harmonic language, it is quickly becoming a favorite among the composer's scores. (Ching Chang is a regular contributor to the SF Bay Times and The SF Gate.) ©2001 Ching Chang, all rights reserved |