Sunday, August 22, 2010

From Ontario Arts Review: The Ninth: A Magnificent Piece; Performed Magnificently

Review by Danny Gaisin
Aug. 21st. ‘10

I admit it- I’m prejudiced in favour of all nine Beethoven symphonic creations. Each has its own character; mood and focus. Conductor Boris Brott bestows his personal impression whenever he and his NAO perform any of these masterpieces. My own notion or inkling may differ, but we both find each piece irresistible. Closing the 2rd Brott Festival season: - the brilliant incomparable ‘Chorale’ Ninth.

Beethoven was totally deaf when he composed the work in 1824. To conceptualize a man creating such a work without the ability to hum the themes, codas, cadenzas and motifs boggles the imagination. From the almost hesitant opening notes of the Allegro that segues into its familiar theme,  Brott & the NAO appeared to be exquisitely caressing every note with fondness and warmth. The Vivace was enhanced by extended pauses that added a facet of drama to the interpretation. The third movement – the adagio molto, whose theme is introduced by the violas -- was so exquisitely performed as to bring on a wetness about the eyes of this enthralled listener.

For the final movement, the combined Arcady & Brott Festival singers under the direction of Stéphane Potvin, and soloists Leslie Fagan; Lauren Segal; Michael Colvin & Daniel Lichti offered the ‘Ode to Joy’ with faultless tones, vocal clarity and excitement. For novice audience-members (and there were some who required ‘shusshing’ after the allegro), Brott had a projected translation of Schiller’s ‘An die freude’ on screens stage left & right. The program notes, while concise and didactic, did not mention that the work was adopted as the anthem of the European Union, both for its beauty and for an optimistic prayer that someday alle menschen warden brüder – ‘all mankind will consider themselves brothers’.

The four soloists are possessors of magnificent voices. Fagan’s soprano has a honey-smoothness that aurally coats the listener. Tenor Michael Colvin seizes each lyric as though it is his own creation and imparted this  every time he sang. There is a power in Segal’s mezzo that belies her stature. The timbre and range she imparted reflected soul. Daniel Lichti is a bass-baritone whose comfort with the normal range of low F to mid C is only equalled by his projection and faultless idiom. The blend of soloists with the 90-member choir appeared seamless.

The other items that comprised the total concert were equally spectacular. Brahms' only violin concerto is a three-movement work, and we were fortunate to hear Sara Chazin (no relative!) perform the opening Allegro movement. The work is so challenging as to be oftimes subtitled concerto against violin for the humiliation it can confer on its attempters. Chazin aced it!

Flautists Jennifer Brimson & Gloria Huh offered Cimarosa’s concerto in G major under the baton of Geneviève Leclair. The facial delight and confidence exhibited by these two talented young ladies is a positive reflection of what Brott’s N.A.O. accomplishes.

S.I. Glick’s ‘Triumph of the Spirit’ is a major work by a composer it was our privilege to know personally. I never had the chance to audaciously ask if its title was a deliberate repudiation of the Riefenstahl 1934 propaganda movie. Like Lightfoot and some other contemporary composers, Glick was overly repetitious but in this piece, it might have been an acknowledgment of traditional Chassidic liturgical mode. Hearing the choir’s Hebraic pronunciation of "Avinu Malkeinu" -- Our Father, Our King --  was especially gratifying with the Jewish High Holidays so close at hand. Like the prayers to be traditionally recited, thanks given, vows renewed, and prayers offered for us as individuals and for the world itself… may alle menschen warden brüder!