Last Friday (December 12) Nicholas McGegan—a familiar visitor to our fair city over the past four decades—conducted the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in the 1742 oratorio Messiah by George Frideric Handel (1685–1759). It was an opportunity to, as both the libretto and Zacariah 9:9 say, “rejoice greatly.”
“Handel was a dramatist of genius,” says McGegan in the program notes, “and I like to bring this out.” That he did Friday night, and in a most compelling fashion. I’ve seen a number of Messiah performances at Powell Hall over the years, and for me the best ones have combined HIP (historically informed performance) practices with a strong sense of theatre. Give me a small orchestra, matching chorus, and soloists who understand Baroque style and I’m good.
Needless to say, I was good Friday night.
Everything about McGegan’s Messiah felt just right, including the decisions as to which numbers to include and which ones to leave out. Handel himself made frequent changes in Messiah during his lifetime, and conductors ever since have followed in that tradition. This Messiah was weighted towards the celebratory, with Part I (which concentrates on Advent and the Nativity) taking up the entire first half of the evening—most appropriate for Yuletide.
The orchestra was a bit larger than what audiences would have been used to in the mid-17th century, but not by much: around two dozen string players plus two oboes, one bassoon, two trumpets, tympani, and harpsichord alternating with chamber organ for the continuo. The resulting sound was crisp, light, and a perfect balance for the (roughly) 60-voice chorus.
It was also well suited to McGegan’s generally brisk tempos. There is something undeniably thrilling about hearing a solid professional chorus nimbly tripping through rapid-fire contrapuntal numbers like “And he shall purify” (Part I, No. 7) or “For unto us a child is born” (Part I, No. 12). That’s especially true when the conductor honors the dance element of Handel’s tunes, as McGegan unerringly did.
Speaking of the chorus, Director Erin Freeman must be feeling particularly proud of her singers after their splendid performance. Their elocution was impressively precise, often rendering the projected text irrelevant, and their massed vocal power was a joy to hear.
Before discussing the soloists, I’d like to return briefly to the subject of Handel as dramatist. It's worth remembering that until he reinvented himself as a composer of English-language oratorios, Handel was best known as a composer of Italian opera. Indeed, the sacred oratorio was essentially his invention—a libretto on a religious subject combined with the theatricality of an opera. That mix didn’t always please the more religiously stuffy back in Handel’s day, but it’s precisely that blend of theatre and theology that has made Messiah such a hit over the centuries.
That means that the soloists should ideally have operatic backgrounds and should know how to invest their singing with an awareness of the emotional content of the text. All four of the soloists this past weekend met those requirements and then some, with my personal favorite being contralto Sara Couden. Her “He was despised” (II, 23) was filled with compassion, while her “O thou that tellest good tidings” (I, 9) radiated joy. She seemed to be the least dependent on her score and the most successful in engaging with the audience.
Soprano Sherezade Panthaki’s bright, flexible voice served her well in the virtuoso aria “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion” (I, 18). The aria is a showpiece for a soprano with coloratura skills like Panthaki’s. Her “I know that my Redeemer liveth” (III, 45), on the other hand, was brimming with simple sincerity.
Tenor John Matthew Myers, who was so impressive in the SLSO’s 2022 Messiah, has a powerful voice throughout its range, including some solid low notes, and a commanding stage presence to go with it. The tenor soloist is the first voice you hear in Messiah, with “Comfort ye my people” and “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted” (I, 2 and 3), so it’s important to make a strong first impression—which he unquestionably did.
Bass-baritone Brandon Cedel was a last minute substitute for an ailing Philippe Sly. Not surprisingly, he watched his score a bit more closely than his fellow singers, but that did nothing to detract from his powerful and authoritative singing in “Why do the nations so furiously rage together” (III, 40), “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light” (I, 11), and, accompanied by the clarion-clear playing of Principal Trumpet Steven Franklin, “The trumpet shall sound (III, 48).
The score doesn’t use the trumpet that often (the only solo is in III, 48) but they are critical in the four numbers that call for them. Franklin and Michael Walk did themselves proud in “Glory to God” (I, 17)—where, in accordance with Handel’s original concept, they were seated offstage—as well as in the famous “Hallelujah” (II, 44) and the glorious “Amen” (III, 53).
McGegan has described that final number as “the sort of music that I imagine could be played in heaven.” It certainly felt that way Friday night, as did the performance as a whole. This was a sparkling, fleet-footed, and very High Baroque Messiah, conducted by an expert with copious knowledge of the style and performed by singers and players all at the top of their form.
Finally, allow me to distribute some laurel wreaths to the individual players who supplemented the SLSO’s excellent string section. Mark Shuldiner was the solid cornerstone of the continuo on harpsichord and chamber organ. The latter provided surprising punch despite its small size. Principal Bassoon Andrew Cuneo added to that firm foundation. There was also excellent work by Oboes Jelena Dirks (Principal) and Xiomara Mass as well as Associate Principal Tympani Kevin Ritenauer. Congratulations to all.
The SLSO’s Messiah will be available as an on-demand stream for the next month at the SLSO web site. If you missed the live concert, I can highly recommend that recording of the Saturday, December 13, performance as the next best thing.
The regular concert season is on hiatus until the new year to make way for the orchestra’s traditional holiday offerings
IN UNISON Christmas, December 18 and 19: Kevin McBeth conducts the IN UNISON chorus along with members of the SLSO, vocal soloists (including The Clark Sisters), and instrumentalists, in a blend of gospel, jazz, and traditional holiday favorites.
Mercy Holiday Celebration, December 20 through 23: Stuart Malina conducts the SLSO and Chorus along with vocalist Kennedy Holmes in a program of seasonal favorites and exciting twists on timeless classics.
Home Alone in Concert, December 27 and 28: Joshua Gersen conducts the SLSO and the St. Louis Children’s Choirs (Dr. Alyson Moore, artistic director) in the John Williams score for the 2018 comedy classic as the film plays on the big screen at Powell.
New Year’s Eve Celebration, December 31: Music Director Stéphane Denève conducts the SLSO and pianist Stewart Goodyear in a festive evening that features music by Gershwin, Bizet, Bernstein, and Offenbach. The concert will also be broadcast live on Classic 107.3 and St. Louis Public Radio.
Information on these and other concerts is available at the SLSO web site.
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