San Francisco Classical Voice

It took time to become accustomed to the rarified sound of the San Francisco Girls Chorus, their treble voices soaring in the atmosphere of the acoustically bright sanctuary of Calvary Presbyterian Church Friday. Celebrating the Chorus' 20th anniversary, the program was varied and included a stunning opening sequence by Hildegard von Bingen, a world premiere of a work by Lisa Bielawa, a mass by Francisco Brusa, and selected works by Vaughan Williams, Gordon Getty, Poulenc, and Herbert Bielawa, all conducted by Sharon Paul.

The Von Bingen chants, eloquently discussed in these pages by Bruce Lamott (SFCV-10/27/98), were "Sed Diabolus" and "In Evangelium." They suited these young singers. The "Chorissima," a select chamber choir, performed with little or no vibrato, creating what is thought to be the "right" tone for early music. In other parts of the program, a pushing up on high tones created a shrillness and occasional flatness. The visual effect of the entrance of the "Chorissima," carrying lights into a darkened hall as they chanted, was magical.

The text for Lisa Bielawa's "Letter to Anna" is by Sigmund Freud to his twelve-year old daughter. In it, Freud mentions the "Almighty," a surprise since Freud was an agnostic. On that word, Bielawa incorporated phrases from von Bingen's "Ordo Virtutem," which are addressed to the "Pater." The musical texture fits this musically-skilled vocal ensemble perfectly. In intervals of seconds, voices glide in glissandi and there are occasional solos against a solid mass of sound. The overly bright acoustics of the hall are not gracious to diction, and this was a problem for part of the concert. Printed texts were not available for Vaughan Williams' "Orpheus with his Lute," arranged by Archibald McDowell and not particularly effective, or for the Herbert Bielewa piece.

The historical background of the "Missa pro defunctis," by the 18th century Venetian composer and organist Francisco Brusa, offered more interest than the thirty minute piece itself. This requiem mass was composed for the female residents of an orphanage. The girls' learning singing, theory, and musical instruments there parallels the SF Girls Chorus' commitment to its members' musical education.

The "Virtuose," another of the Chorus' subsets, performed Gordon Getty's a cappella "Victorian Scenes" ( composed in 1959, 1982, and 1983) to well-known texts of Tennyson and Houseman --"Blow Bugle Blow," "Loveliest of Trees," and "All Along the Valley," among others. Within the tonal structure, the theme of "Taps" could be perceived, also a sense of a love of nature recalling the vocal music of Gustav Mahler.

Francis Poulenc's "Petites Voix" (1936), also sung by the "Virtuose," is a setting of children's verses by Madeleine Ley. Stylish, charming, and with a touch of the "chanson" here and there, they were well performed and provided a contrast to the Getty songs.

Closing out the program with a bang was Herbert Bielawa's "Dreams" (1984). Geraldine Walter played the viola obligato with warmth of tone and bravura, and Dwight Okamura provided an effectively discreet piano accompaniment to the "Chorissima." The piece is a setting of five poems written in 1982 by members of SFGC about their dreams: "Dreams Reflect," "Translucent Lavender," "The Unicorn," "The Sky," and "Counting." The vocal lines were strong, some unison, solos, in parts, and with a tonal base. The piano and viola, however, seemed in another style, as embellishment of the vocal lines. I was reminded of Aaron Copland's Emily Dickinson songs, with the instrumental rhythmic punctuation driving the words.

(Margot Blum Schevill is a mezzo-soprano and a former Merolina, now a writer, who sang in the Bay Area and elsewhere during the 1950s and 1960s. She sang with the Providence, R.I. New Music Ensemble for fifteen years.)

©1998 Margot Blum Schevill, all rights reserved