Ich habe genug: Bach and Brahms with the BSO

This past weekend took me to Boston; having learned that Bryn Terfel and Rosemary Joshua would be performing in Brahms’ Requiem with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, it was to the first of their concerts I repaired on Thursday night. A poignant “Ich habe genug” was paired with Brahms’ sweeping choral masterpiece, and it was interesting to compare the emotional complexities and musical modes of expression in the two pieces, with their different relationships to the tradition of German sacred music. Another unexpected revelation was the performance of the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, who offered a compelling and nuanced exploration of Brahms’ vast harmonic and emotional landscapes.

Missa Solemnis: BSO at Carnegie Hall

For a work of its vast scope and profound subject, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis seemed surprisingly tame in Tuesday night's performance at Carnegie Hall. The Boston Symphony Orchestra did play with great warmth and beauty of tone. The woodwinds contributed especially lovely work, and the vibrant trumpet fanfares, and the exquisite violin solo of the "Sanctus" (taken by Malcolm Lowe) were also noteworthy. There was, however, what I perceived as a lack of dramatic impetus, with the movements of the Mass blending into each other with great elegance, but little contrast of mood. More emotional engagement and dynamic nuance came from the Tanglewood Chorus, who were superb throughout. Their sound was thrilling, their diction incisive (and they sang from memory.) It is perhaps relevant to note that John Oliver, who led the combined forces in place of an indisposed Kurt Masur, had (presumably) significantly more rehearsal time with the latter ensemble than the former.