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Massed farewell for chorus director
June 28, 2004, 1:07PM
By CHARLES WARD
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
Beethoven's Missa Solemnis was a fitting and stirring send-off for Craig Hella Johnson, the outgoing artistic director of the Houston Masterworks Chorus.
He's leaving Houston to concentrate on his Austin-based work, which includes the professional ensemble Conspirare. He also heads the Victoria Bach Festival, held annually in June.
A setting of the major portions from the Roman Catholic Mass, Missa Solemnis is a big, sprawling work with fierce challenges for both singers and conductor. Chorus and soloists have to deal with Beethoven's ungainly choral writing (best known from the finale of the Ninth Symphony). Chorus sopranos in particular have to periodically hold high notes far longer than most can comfortably keep them going.
The conductor also has to sustain the audience's interest in Beethoven's symphonic treatment of the Mass text. Composers like Bach broke the long texts of the Gloria and Credo sections into smaller units and wrote distinct sections for each. Beethoven kept the texts intact and created complex movements a conductor has to pace carefully.
Fortunately, in the large movements Beethoven employed a quartet of soloists for contrast and variety. And, in the Sanctus, he gave the conductor outright relief.
As in the finale of the Ninth Symphony, whose creation overlapped the writing of Missa Solemnis, Beethoven created an improvisatory-like form that included a gorgeous orchestral interlude and an equally beguiling obbligato violin solo that continues throughout the movement.
So, at the moment when listener fatigue might set in, Beethoven changed the mood -- and Johnson took full advantage, aided by the gentle playing of concertmaster Stephen Redfield. In Sanctus, Johnson got the sweetest, most satisfying music-making of Sunday's performance in Jones Hall.
For Missa Solemnis, Johnson enlarged the Masterworks Chorus with singers from Conspirare in Austin and the Victoria Bach Festival Chorus. (Missa Solemnis was scheduled to be repeated in Victoria on Monday.) The Houston Masterworks Chorus Orchestra, a freelance ensemble, accompanied.
The massed ensemble, approximately 150 strong, performed fervently. Passages at moderate volumes were consistently taut, interesting and moving. Only those cursed high notes, and fatigue near the end of the 80-minute performance, kept the loudest moments from having equal polish.
The soloists were soprano Linda Mabbs, mezzo-soprano Emily Lodine, tenor Karl Dent and bass John Cheek. They sang Beethoven's tough music powerfully, but their substantial vibratos meant their blend as an ensemble was minimal.
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