< Back to Archives
December 17, 2005
Symphony’s “Messiah” is remarkable
BY LEE TEPLY THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT • Reach Lee Teply online at lteply@odu.edu.
HANDEL WAS STILL alive when Mozart was born in 1756, but because he died just over three years later, the two musical geniuses could not have met.
In a sense, however, they did meet in 1789, when Mozart prepared a new version of Handel’s “Messiah,” adding all the instruments of the Classical period orchestra. Some sections still sound as Handel intended, but others sound very different.
The result is like a fascinating dialogue between the two composers, their two personalities speaking clearly through their own musical languages.
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra brought this “meeting of the minds” to life in a remarkable performance Thursday evening at St. Bede Catholic Church in Williamsburg. For those looking for a fresh perspective on this holiday classic, there are performances scheduled in Virginia Beach and Newport News.
That Mozart’s larger orchestration was so clear was due in part to the conducting of JoAnn Falletta, who maintained a good balance between elements of the old and new. With tempos on the brisk side, she paced the entire work to move with a sense of purpose to the choruses that end the oratorio’s three sections.
The musicians responded to her lead with clean playing that supported both soloists and chorus. Mozart’s wind band blended as a group, while individuals spoke out nicely in solo lines.
Of the four vocal soloists, soprano Mary Wilson had the most opportunity to show her talents, which are many. The clear quality of her voice made her fast coloratura passages very impressive. She also had emotional depth in slower, more expressive sections.
Tenor Israel Lozano was just as flexible in runs and ornaments. When his bright upper voice soared over the orchestra, the effect was thrilling. Baritone Andrew Garland was even more impressive in the sheer speed and clarity of his figuration, but, without as much volume, he did not always provide the music’s power in such a large space.
In comparison, mezzo-soprano Adriana Zabala was less compelling. Her sound and technique were fine, but she did not use them as well to tell her part of the story.
Fully engaged in the drama were the energetic members of the Virginia Symphony Chorus, prepared by Robert Shoup. With their consistently well-balanced sound, they were able to move at Falletta’s quick tempos. So were the three trombonists who, following the tradition of Mozart’s time, doubled most of what the chorus sang.
Even with so many fine details in the performance, this was a case where the whole was much greater than the sum of its parts. And when the parts are Handel and Mozart, that is saying a lot
# # #
The Virginia Symphony Orchestra with a complement of 79 professional musicians under the direction of Grammy-nominated Music Director JoAnn Falletta performs 140 concerts annually, reaching 200,000 concert goers every season in venues throughout the region. Our education and outreach programs reach 53,000 students and adult learners every year. The Virginia Symphony Orchestra is the cultural cornerstone of the performing arts in Hampton Roads.
|
 |
