Bach's St. Matthew Passion

Berkshire Choral Festival, Sheffield, MA
www.choralfest.org
August 15, 2009
by Debra Tinkam

Johann Sebastian Bach's Matthaus - Passion BWV244 (St.Matthew Passion), much being derived from the first book, Matthew (26 and 27), of the New Testament, sung in German, was the show stopper for this Saturday evening. Together, with an abbreviated Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO), the night was divinely inspirational. In addition, there were featured soloists, performing the words of Jesus, Judas, Peter, and the Evangelist, to name only a few.

The first part, begun by orchestra and chorus, were beautifully and dramatically orchestrated as they describe the procession to Mt. Calvary, and, thus, the death of Jesus. The Evangelist, representing St. Matthew, narrates the story vocally, and the soloists' dialogue, sung in recitative style, became Bach's greatest opera. The150 voice choir came from as far as Japan and Canada and 28 of the United States.

Of particular mention was the part of Jesus, sung by Christopheren Nomura, who, incidentally, used no music for this dramatically moving portrayal of betrayal, suffering and death. His dynamics and emotion were comparable to very few. Conductor Gary Thor Wedow, who has appeared four times with the Berkshire Choral Festival, currently serves on the Julliard School Faculty. His conducting was emotional.

This Passion, split into two orchestras and two choirs were tools Bach used for variation and effect, and variation and effect were obvious throughout. The sounds of flutes and oboes on both sides of the orchestra, making up the two orchestras, created a stereo effect. Violins and voices for choral passage were uniquely symbolic in setting the stage for Jesus' demise. Strings were interlaced in Jesus' execution until the final passage where, after Pilate asks, "Which one shall I release: Jesus or Barabas?" The crowd screams (sings) "Barabas!" and in his final hour Jesus says, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"

This fifth, and final, performance of the Berkshire Choral Festival's2009 season, was moving beyond words. The talent of the chorus, orchestra and soloists emanated perfection to make for a once in a lifetime performance.

Vespers Opus 37

Berkshire Choral Festival, Sheffield, MA
www.choralfest.org

August 1, 2009
by Debra Tinkham

Twenty eight years ago, Berkshire Choral Festival's (BCF) voices of summer began its beautiful music, and this concert continued the tradition. Dale Warland, choral composer and conductor conducted Rachmaninoff's "Vespers Opus 37," an a cappella program. The Springfield Symphony Orchestra had the night off.

The work is all titled the All-Night Vigil. When performed originally, as part of a liturgical service, it could conceivably last as long as fifteen hours. That's a lot of church. There are 15 sections and the third, a Rachmaninoff original, known as "Blessed Is the Man," was beautifully harmonic and somber. The sounds of music were pure and eerie. Section five, "Lord Now Lettest Thou..." from the gospel of Luke, with its moving dynamics, long phrases and very low bass, sings of "...enlightening the Gentiles." The unification of voices in section seven, "Verses before the Six Psalms," from Luke 2 and Psalm 51, shortly proclaimed "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will among men."

Joyful, festive, dynamic and harmonic would describe section eight's "Praise the Name of the Lord." Allelluias" populated many sections of this vigil, but they were so musically beautiful, there could have been more. "Blessed Art Thou, O Lord" with sopranos and altos, then tenors and basses, then sopranos and altos, and a fast moving tenor and bass finale summed it all up with an even bigger building crescendo of SATB (soprano, alto, tenor, bass).

Sections ten through fifteen were equally as uplifting and invigorating as the previous nine. Warland looked simultaneously energized and exhausted. This was a triumphant evening performance that started on sweet notes and ended with victoriously abundant sweet notes. The lovely voices of summer of BCF continue their Saturday concerts in August.

Mendelssohn and Faure

Berkshire Choral Festival
The Berkshire School, Sheffield MA
www.berkshirechoral.org
July 25, 2009

Each summer the Berkshire Choral Festival offers enthusiastic singers a chance to attend singing camp, and to produce vocal and orchestral concerts of the largest scale. The late-July concert featured Magnificat by Felix Mendelssohn and Requiem by Gabriel Faure.

The week's 220 singers were in residence at The Berkshire School to rehearse under the direction of guest conductor Simon Carrington. Required to sing in both Latin and German, they sang as one voice with crisp diction, showing tonal security as they answered and supported the four soloists (Arianna Zukerman, Mary Gerbi, Carmund White, and George Cordes).

The chorus seemed most secure with the post-intermission piece, the "Faure Requiem," and was outstanding on the Offertoire and Sanctus sections. Zukerman sang with plaintive longing on the Pie Jesu section. The cello section of the orchestra was especially beautiful throughout and the organ's strong presence was an integral part of the orchestration.

The first half of the program ended with Mendelssohn's lyrical "Her Mein Bitten (Hear My Prayer)." Again, Zukerman had full command of this piece, and the chorus answered her with smooth transitions and supportive tonal security. Both chorus and soloist were adept at creating the longing and need that the "Psalm 55" words express.

The first offering, "Mendelssohn's Magnificat," was perhaps the weakest of the three. Although the chorus was effective in this piece, the presentation lacked vibrancy and there were intonation problems among the soloists when they sang as a quartet, perhaps reflecting limited preparation time.

The Springfield Symphony Orchestra provided a strong instrumental and professional presence throughout the evening, and the musicians seemed to enjoy the melodic beauty of these scores.

Handel's Solomon

Berkshire Choral Festival, Sheffield
by Debra Tinkham

The Berkshire School, (a private high school with a student body of 375) nestled at the base of Black Rock, and know for its rattlesnakes, was the setting for the Berkshire Choral Festival’s (BCF) presentation of Georg Friedrich Handel’s pastoral “Solomon”. Completed in less than 40 days, this masterful, Handelian-like work of art went off flawlessly. The performance featured over 200 voices, all gathered for this group performance only six days prior, from 27 states, Canada and Tokyo.

A very cordial BCF Trustee, Wendy Linscott, explained the beginning and short history of the group, often referred to as the “Summer Camp For Singers,” saying that the season itself is only four (short) weeks, and the Springfield Symphony Orchestra (SSO) is the resident orchestra for BCF. In Handel’s case, the SSO was slightly abbreviated in size.

Guest conductor, Kent Tritle is one of America’s top choral conductors. Prior to BCF’s long time founder and conductor, Richard Westenburg’s untimely death, Tritle served as Associate Conductor and Co-Music Director. For the sake of brevity, “such a gentle job he did.”

"Solomon’s" story comes from the Bible, depicting King Solomon and the tumultuous relationship between him and the Queen of Sheba. In the final act, the chorus celebrates the Lord, “whose goodness and wisdom have been shown in Solomon’s realm.” Act III, Scene I, Solomon sings, “Thus rolling surges rise, and plough the troubled main; but soon the tempest dies, and all is calm again.”

The soloists were talented – phenomenal! Pages could be written about their voices, their talent, their finesse. Be sure to catch BCF’s final 2008 concert on August 2 featuring “Water Music from the British Isles,” with John Alexander conducting music of Vaughn Williams, Rutter and Granger.

Berkshire Choral Festival

Rovensky Shed, Sheffield
Saturdays in July/August
By Shera Cohen

The experience of Berkshire Choral Festival was three-fold for this reviewer, having the privilege of attending three concerts in a matter of eight days.

For 27 years, thousands of choristers have gathered weekly to BCF for the love of singing and the camaraderie of those like themselves. An average concert includes 180 vocalists, who travel from nearly every U.S. state, the Americas, Europe, and Asian countries. One aspect that does not change is the “back-up” musicians – the Springfield Symphony Orchestra.

Each Saturday night features different conductors and selections. Oftentimes, soloists are featured. Be assured that the pieces are all big; nothing but the most challenging.

A musicologist speaks in a free talk prior to each concert, offering better insight into the background of the pieces and composers.

Titled “I Hear America Singing,” under the direction of Craig Jessop, the highlight was “Frostiana.” This was a flowing compilation of seven Robert Frost poems including “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening.” Coupling Frost with music by Randall Thompson made for a wonder to the audience’s ears.

That same week, a select group of BCF members performed a free concert at the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge. Lead by an assistant conductor, the 20 or so singers crooned several old chestnuts, including big band tunes. Theirs was a nice teaser concert for the upcoming Saturday’s program.

There could not have been a better pair of choral works as Orff’s “Carmina Burana” was teamed with Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony (finale).” Tom Hall was the guest conductor. From the first loud and harsh bang of the instruments and voices to the soft and soothing movements, the lush and humorous songs of baritone Alexander Tall to the superior soprano notes of Penelope Shumate, “Carmina” was a standout piece. Its reputation precedes it as one of the most illustrious choral/symphonic works of the 20th century. To tackle the difficulty in the ebb and flow, ups and downs of the exceptionally long work, was no small task. This performance was without a doubt one of the most memorable music experiences for any in the audience. The well-deserved standing ovation lasted at least five minutes.