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Mystical music
Three great Es
Sunday, November 5, 2006
By John Hammel

Masterwork Chorus, Andrew Megill (conductor), Alyson Harvey (mezzo-soprano), Dong Ill Han (tenor), Masterwork Chamber and Touring Choirs, Thomas Cunningham (conductor), Casandra LaMotte (soprano), Russell Troxel (tenor), Robert Mance (baritone), Eric Plutz (organ). Rachmaninoff: All Night Vigil, op. 37, and Vespers; Herbert Howells: Magnificat, and Nunc dimittis, Collegium Regale; Alexandre Gretchaninoff: Nunc dimittis; Charles Villiers Stanford: Magnificat and Nunc dimittis; Stephen Paulus: Pilgrims Hymn. St. Peter's Episcopal Church, Morristown.

The “Three Great E's” in the pantheon of great artistic performance were well on display at the Masterwork's masterful performance of Rachmaninoff's All Night Vigil, Opus 37:Education, Elucidation, and — most importantly — Entertainment.

Conductor Andrew Megill opted for a format which called upon various members of the chorus to talk to the audience, explaining the significance and placement of each movement in the context of the mass setting.As Dr. Megill pointed out before the performance, this masterpiece was meant to be an organically living work, performed within the Russian Orthodox Church service.Although it has subsequently come to be heard in the West primarily in concert form, that was not most important its creator's intent.

There was a Golden Age of sacred choral music in Russia, which flourished from the late 1800's to the October Revolution in 1917.Most of the outstanding figures of Russian classical composition composed for this genre.It was utmost to these composers that the music retain a strong nationalistic identity.This was accomplished by focusing on the tradition of liturgical *unison chant for the melodic lines and utilizing more complex *polyphony and folk-style *part writing to underpin the chant.These composers also mined the lush sound of the low bass voice, thus insuring a dynamic range and level of nuance that makes this music sound like nothing else on earth.

With that said, the basic structure of this type of composition is still somewhat limiting, as it de-emphasizes and is even contrary to the avante-garde or modern in compositional writing.Never the less, Sergei Rachmaninoff took on the inherant challenges of the form and created one of the most sublimely beutiful and moving works of the genre.He wrote it in 1915 in an inspired burst of creativity lasting only two weeks.In it he expanded the sonorities and timbres of the traditional Russian choir, balancing the tone colors in a seemingly simplistic but elevating manner.The voices weave and ripple around and through each other, multiplying and dividing, to hang on the air in a sumptuous auditory feast.

Dr. Megill broke the work up by book-ending its two sections, the morning “Vespers” and the “All Night Vigil: Matins,” as parts I and II of the program. The “Vespers” was performed in the first half with other works by various composers that augmented the suppliant tone and intent of the Rachmaninoff piece.

Heard along with the “Vespers” in the first half were works by Herbert Howells, Alexander Gretchaninoff, and Charles Villiers Stanford's Magnificat and Nunc dimittis settings, along with Stephen Paulus' Pilgrims Hymn.These pieces were sung by the Masterwork Touring and Chamber Choirs to less striking effect than the full choir’s Rachmaninoff.The rich harmonies and commitment of the smaller forces were in evidence throughout. Yet, whether it was less understanding of the ambience and acoustical properties of the church or simply lack of rehearsal is hard to say, but there was less uniformity of blend and balance, with the soprano voice(s) throwing the whole a bit out of whack and becoming strident in places.

In the Howells, tenor Russell Troxel was a bit hollow voiced and lacked firmness of tone. Soprano Casandra LaMotte was a bit trilly and sharp in the Stanford setting.Baritone Robert Mance sang with confidence and fuller tone in the Stanford, complementing the text.The Pilgrims Hymn was sung with strength of tone and was easily the most comfortably enjoyable performance by the chamber singers, whose blend and phrasing carried the day.Organist Eric Plutz offered fine accompaniment, underpinning the choir without getting in the way or becoming overly powerful.His balance against the choir was outstanding.

The “Vespers” was the big news and, although not a one hundred per cent success, offered enough riches to satisfy the musical palette.There were brief moments when things shifted out of phase, but on each occasion Dr. Megill quickly brought the whole back to the center.The qualities one hoped for were usually in place.Excellent blend and phrasing with *crescendos and *decrescendos occurred with organic suppleness.The overall shape and balance of most sections of the work were first rate, and the *intonation was generally superb.A few exposed tenor section moments allowed some raggedness to rear its head.Basses and altos are asked to carry the day, and by and large they did so with aplomb if not full grace.

Still, various sections of the “Vespers” and “Matins” were simply outstanding and powerfully evocative.The relaxed sense of swinging looseness and phrasing of No. 9, culminating in a hushed Allelujah and a haunting bass pedal point and the awed reverence of No. 11, was highly effective, as was “My soul magnifies the Lord,” with the choir’s crisp articulation.In general, the second half of the Rachmaninoff — the Matins — was much more effective and focused.Balances were better, and blending was of ahigher order, most particularly in section 12's *fugal *polyphony and the tenor section’s excellent intonation on sustained tones.Harmonic richness was realized to great effect as well as alternating rhythms and textures which were executed with detailed focus.Dr. Megill brought the work to a glorious and energetic finale on the words, "Rejoice, O Unwedded Bride!"

The choir performed the work in Russian, so kudos must be directed to Slavonic coach Amelia Nagoski.I am hardly an expert in the language, but I spoke to a few Russian natives who commended on the choir's pronunciation and diction.

Soloists in the “Vespers” were mezzo-soprano Alyson Harvey and tenor Dong Ill Han.Ms. Harvey sang with mushy diction and unfocused line.I've heard her sing much better in the past and wonder whether she was fighting an illness.Mr. Han had a bright, clear voice with very good diction, singing his part with a sure sense of style.

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