music review:
Ever wonder if the director of an orchestra or chorus — the person on the podium waving the baton — really makes a difference? An emphatic “yes” is the answer, and the evidence was there for all to hear at last weekend’s concerts of the Vashon Chorale.
In the Sunday afternoon performance of Haydn’s ravishing and seldom-heard “Heiligmesse” at Bethel Evangelical Free Church, guest director Anthony Spain took the Chorale to heights that seemed to surprise even members of the chorus itself.
The material was more challenging than the Chorale’s usual repertoire, yet the singers handled it with aplomb. Entrances were crisp, diction was precise, soloists were on the mark, and the group sung with a level of confidence unheard at previous concerts, at least by this Chorale listener.
Several singers remarked after the concert about rigorous, lengthy rehearsals and Spain’s scrupulous attention to breath control. Whatever the methods, the work paid off. The performance was basically terrific. That the sopranos were occasionally flat on Sunday afternoon may have been inevitable. The Haydn is 40 minutes of concentrated, heavy-duty singing. Amateur voices were bound to be tired after singing this demanding material twice in two days.
The only other blip was the chorus’ decision to abruptly exit the stage while the audience was on its feet applauding. Spain, his singers and the 22-piece orchestra deserved more than a single bow.
The change-of-pace programming in the concert’s second half brought more surprises — an offbeat, contemporary “Laudamus Te” by Poulenc and Arnold Freed’s jazzy “Dance Alleluia” with string bass, percussion and piano. Craig Hanson, the Chorale’s long-time piano accompanist, shone in both pieces. Hanson is giving up the piano after this concert and moving to the chorale’s bass section. Let’s hope there’s an equally adept accompanist in the wings.
In a programming masterstroke, Spain gave the soprano solos in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Pie Jesu” to four Island youngsters. This clever idea instantly endeared him to every parent who has wondered, while wincing at squeaky violins and mangled piano scales, about the value of dollars spent on their child’s music lessons.
Under Spain’s tight direction and with rehearsal preparation by Marita Ericksen, what might have been merely a sentimental showcase for young local voices produced a moment of genuine musical magic. Hannah Smith, a Vashon High School senior, was pitch-perfect as principal soloist, while Kalie Heffernan, Maya Krah and Nathan Weston backed her up beautifully. There were more than a few misty eyes as the applause rained down.
The Chorale sent the audience home happy with a spirited version of “Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit.”
The Vashon Chorale’s board meets this week to consider its options for conductors next fall and in the future. My advice? Dig deep and make Anthony Spain an offer he can’t refuse. Then prepare for increasingly happy audiences and sold out performances. There are worse things to worry about, aren’t there?
— Islander Eugene Carlson is a former reporter for The Wall Street Journal who misses singing in his old church choir.
