By Robert D. Thomas
Music Critic
Pasadena Star-News/San
Gabriel Valley Tribune/Whittier Daily News
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Pasadena Master Chorale; Jeffrey Bernstein, conductor
Brahms: Ein Deutsche Requiem
Saturday, April 9, 2011 La Crescenta Presbyterian Church
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Through the centuries, hundreds of composers have set the
Roman Catholic Requiem Mass (aka Mass for the Dead or Funeral Mass) to music
and some of those pieces show up annually on classical music schedules as the
Christian Holy Week approaches (this year it runs from April 17-24). This year,
for example, Gabriel Faur’s Requiem will be performed Sunday in Costa Mesa and
on April 22 at a Good Friday Devotional Concert at Pasadena Presbyterian
Church.
Perhaps the most unique Requiem ever composed was Johannes
Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German
Requiem), which was written between 1865 and 1868 (the first complete
performance was Feb. 28, 1869 in Leipzig). Unlike many settings of the ancient
Requiem liturgy, which emphasize the terror of death, Brahms — who wrote this
piece shortly after his mother died — used scriptures from the Old and New
Testaments that focused on comfort and consolation.
Brahms wasn’t content with a version for choir, soloists and
orchestra; he also arranged A German
Requiem to be accompanied by two pianists playing a single instrument. That
was a common practice in the 19th century when having a full
orchestra was a luxury and recordings were not yet invented. Hard as it is to
believe now, Brahms was concerned that the work would not be popular. “Now it
cannot perish,” he wrote. “What is more, it has become altogether splendid.”
The wisdom of that last phrase is certainly open to question
(the orchestral accompaniment for this work is highly expressive and there’s no
way two pianos can approximate it) but Artistic Director Jeffrey Bernstein and
his Pasadena Master Chorale gave a sensitive performance of this rarely heard
edition last night at La Crescenta Presbyterian Church. It was a reprise of
sorts; the same forces had performed the work last year.
In brief preconcert remarks, Bernstein noted that using just
four-hand piano for the accompaniment means the choir doesn’t have to strain to
be heard above a full orchestra and, although pianists Shawn Kirchner and Alan
Steinberger accompanied with panache, the focus was, indeed, on the Chorale.
That turned out to be just fine because the 55-voice
ensemble sang with clear German diction and rhythmic precision and in the
softer moments it achieved a notable blend. Only at the outer extremes of their
voices in the loudest sections did some occasional rawness slip in, but for the
most part this was both an impressive and expressive performance.
Brahms’ Requiem
has a symmetrical structure. The first and seventh (last) movements use similar
themes, the second and sixth movements end with glorious double fugues, the
third and fifth movements feature soloists, and the apex of the piece is Wie lieblich sind deine Wohnungen (How Lovely
Are Your Dwelling Places), which the choir sang with elegant, simple
beauty; it was, indeed, the evening’s pinnacle.
Soprano Krystle Casey’s radiant operatic voice was almost
too powerful in her fifth movement solo, while baritone Scott Graff seemed
curiously understated throughout much of his solo work; I wished Casey could
have poured a little of her power into Graff — the combination of her power and
Graff’s clean high baritone voice would have been potent.
Throughout the night, Bernstein — who conducted the two
pianists with the same exuberance as if he was presiding over a full orchestra
— led a performance that appropriately emphasized Brahms’ great musical arcs.
He also took the three double-fugue sections at brisk clips, to which the
Chorale responded with clarity and power, particularly in the sixth movement,
with its resurrection text from Hebrews, I Corinthians and Revelation. It was
both chilling and consoling — Brahms surely would have approved.
Hemidemisemiquavers:
The Chorale provided English translations in the printed
program and was smart enough to leave the lights up so people could follow
along if needed.
Appropriately there was no intermission, but Bernstein did
pause after the third movement to allow the Chorale to take a water break (they
all brought water bottles); he invited those in the audience so equipped to
join in. From a musical point of view, I might have opted for after the fourth
movement but the second and third movements are killers for choral singers, so
from a practical point of view, Bernstein’s choice made eminent sense.
If you want to compare versions, Gustavo Dudamel will
conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Los Angeles Master Chorale and soloists
in a performance of Brahms’ Requiem May 12-15 at Walt Disney Concert Hall. The
concert, part of the Phil’s “Brahms Unbound” series, will also include the West
Coast premiere of Steven Mackey’s Beautiful
Passing. Info: www.laphil.com
Brahms wasn’t alone in providing multiple accompaniments
for his Requiem. Faur wrote a chamber-orchestra
version for his Requiem and either
wrote or sanctioned a full-orchestra setting. Half a century later, Maurice
Durufl set his Requiem for full
orchestra, organ alone — no surprise, since he was a great organist — and for
organ with string orchestra and optional harp and timpani.
The PMC’s final concert of the season is “The Green
Concert” (celebrating the Earth, with music by Aaron Copland, Randall Thompson
and Bernstein) will be June 4 at La Crescenta Presbyterian Church and June 5 at
Altadena Community Church. Info: www.pasadenamasterchorale.org
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(c) Copyright 2011, Robert D. Thomas. All rights reserved.
Portions may be quoted with attribution.
