Masterworks 2014 Haydn, Bruckner, Lauridsen, Gjeilo
CONCERT REVIEW: Leaping across centuries – Santa Barbara Choral Society presents bold program
By JOSEF WOODARD, NEWS-PRESS CORRESPONDENT
April 5, 2014 6:35 PM
If the first quarter of 2014 is any indication, we’re in the midst of a banner year for the choral music cause and subculture in Santa Barbara. The choral muse was bestowing goodness and plenty starting in February, with the arrival of the concentrated western regional and actually international sweep of the Western Division sof the ACDA (American Choral Director’s Association) conference for a few dense days, and the choral might and luster continued last weekend with a notably strong, century-hopping program by the Santa Barbara Choral Society at the Lobero.
Interestingly, a common denominator with both events came in the form of one of choral music’s great living composers, the Los Angeles-based Morten Lauridsen. His music, and the man and performer himself, appeared on the Granada stage during an all-Lauridsen concert and tribute event in February with the LA Master Chorale—with whom he was a composer-in-residence.
At the Lobero last weekend, he turned up again, offering warming words, performing on piano for his sweet, gentle closing piece, “Sure on this Shining Night,” and eloquently introduced what was likely the centerpiece of the concert, his rightfully famous and oft-sung “Lux Aeterna.” Performed by the Choral Society ten years ago, both here and on tour in Europe, it was again gloriously realized by the group, grandly led by director JoAnn Wasserman, along with an orchestral complement. Mr. Mortensen’s classic piece, as the composer explained onstage, is a reflection on the translation of the Latin, “eternal light,” and not only in terms of “spirituality but enlightenment, and is a “half-hour meditation on this concept.”
On this intentionally era-bounding program — dubbed “Past and Present Masters” — in which the first half was devoted to the “Te Deum” works in C major by 18th century master Haydn and 19th century romantic Bruckner, respectively, Mr. Lauridsen’s “greatest hit” comes across as a delicate synthesis of Renaissance and 20th century musical manners. The work’s power partly resides in its deft interweaving of stylistic reference points fresh and ancient, not unlike the choral writing of the recently-belated English composer John Taverner. Early musical airs and contrapuntal devices combine with Copland-esque open harmonic colors and cautiously optimistic spirits.
As seen and heard here in the Choral Society’s last performance, the Christmas program, the move to the Lobero has meant a densely populated stage—once the orchestra, soloists and other elements combine with the singers’ ranks—and also an acoustic more tight and focused than its previous venue homes, at the Granada and the San Roque Parish chapel. This concert was no exception, as the choral group/orchestra dove into clean and rigorous splendor of the all-chorus-based edifice of Haydn’s “Te Deum for Empress Therese,” and the more emotive Romantic contours of Bruckner’s piece, fortified by a quartet of fine soloists—soprano Tamara Bevard, mezzo/alto Nike St. Clair, tenor Tyler Thompson and bass Ralph Cato—and building to a stirring finale.
In the concert’s second half, though lorded over by the Lauridsen component of the evening, we got a hearty taste of short pieces by the young Norwegian composer Ola Geilo. Four short-ish works showed the range of the composer’s musical thinking, from Norwegian folk-tinged sonorities to the surprising mawkish pop flavorings of “The Ground.” Thankfully, that piece was in sharp contrast to the contemplative and enigmatic “Northern Lights,” one of the many sublime moments in a bold and concert well-equipped with high points.
American baritone, Ralph Cato has travelled the world extensively, telling stories in song with his warm, clarion baritone voice.
Tenor, Benjamin Brecher has performed over fifty operatic roles with many of the world’s most prestigious opera companies, specializing in the high lying lyric tenor repertoire. He has performed 16 roles with New York City Opera alone. Career highlights include performances with Opera Orchestra of New York, L’Opera de Nice, Rossini Opera Festival in Pesaro, L’Opera de Montreal, Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, among many others. His orchestral solo repertoire includes Mozart, Handel, Orff, Bach, Haydn, as well as many performances of Britten. In 2000 he began performing the great Irish Tenor songs in a concert produced for him entitled A Celtic Celebration, Twenty years later, the show has become a North American hit with performances with 45 Symphonies in North America. Ben continues his discography having added his twelfth recording in 2016 Forgotten Liszt, with pianist Robert Koenig, and will record a new release in 2022 entitled “Three Centuries of Thomas Moore” including the music of Britten, Berlioz, and Sarah Gibson on MSR Classics. He is a Professor of Voice at University of California Santa Barbara, where he has served as the Head of Voice.
Tracy Van Fleet is pleased to return to the Santa Barbara Choral Society. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Master Chorale, Lüneburg Symphony in Germany, Orquesta Filarmónica de Boca del Río in Mexico, Pasadena Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Los Angeles Bach Festival, San Diego Chamber Orchestra, Colorado Philharmonic, USC Symphony and Chorus, and others. She has had many appearances with the Los Angeles Opera, Los Angeles Philharmonic, Pacific Symphony, Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, Opera Pacific, San Diego Opera and Opera Colorado.
Born and raised in Southern California, April Amante is a versatile soprano with expertise and facility in repertoire spanning from early music to contemporary musical theater.