Word: beethoven
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...Australians are coming! The Sydney Symphony Orchestra sails into Boston's Symphony Hall to mesmerize New England with what The Evening Sun promises will be a "highlight of Boston's performance season." The program includes Koehne's "Elevator Music," Beethoven's "Piano Concerto No.2 in B-flat Major," and Richard Strauss's "Symphony domestica." 8 p.m. Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, 482-6661, Tickets...
...second half of the program, mezzo-soprano Paula Rasmussen, tenor Richard Clemont and bass Nathan Berg joined Christine Brewer along with the Handel and Haydn Society Chorus. The work, Beethoven's Mass in C, was definitely the highlight of the evening. Written in 1807 on a commission from Prince Nikolaus Esterhazy II, this was Beethoven's first setting of the Mass, and was a complete failure in the prince's eyes. Perhaps he did not appreciate Beethoven's extensive text painting (creating musical pictures of the text), and his application of personal feelings to the various parts of the mass...
...ensemble maintained an excellent balance. The orchestra's restrained style again suited the vocal lines. There was never the sense that the orchestra had to consciously play more quietly to preserve the primacy of the choir. To underscore the character of resignation and repentance of the Kyrie text, Beethoven alternated rising vocal lines and rising instrumental lines that seem to reach up in supplication towards the heavens...
...sharp contrast to the almost mournful Kyrie, the Gloria began in an exuberant burst of energy from the entire chorus and orchestra. Celebrating the glory of God, Beethoven managed to represent this feeling of joyful gratitude through a wide variety of tonal colors and a quicker tempo. It was in the solo sections of the Gloria that the audience first got to really hear the warm, haunting voice of mezzo-soprano Rasmussen, a good match for Brewer's soprano...
...Credo best exemplified Beethoven's gifts for text-painting. In a description of Christ's resurrection, the chorus vividly repeated the word "descendit," (he descended) in a motif that alternated between the orchestra and chorus. The forceful repetitions ended with a descending solo clarinet figure. This line, which was unfortunately marred by a bad note, fell, as if from the heavens, to the pure tones of the unaccompanied quartet intoning the "Et incarnatus..." The Credo ended on a lighter note with a playful fugue on the text of "Et vitam venturi saeculi," (and the life of the world to come...