Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, December 19, 1994 TAG: 9412210074
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: SETH WILLIAMSON SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Yes, there were unconvinced purists who didn't like the changes Sandborg introduced to this beloved favorite. Said one veteran Roanoke musician and concertgoer at intermission, "Wouldn't you rather hear those chorus sections with the full choir instead of a solo quartet?" The same listener speculated that Sandborg's instrumental and vocal experiments were prompted more by a tight budget than by the muse.
But whether it was the goad of fiscal necessity or pure artistic inspiration, it seemed to me that this "Messiah" coalesced into a coherent artistic whole that allowed the great baroque composer's genius to speak once again in Roanoke.
Sandborg had been itching to see how a solo quartet would work on some of this oratorio's great choruses that are customarily heard with large numbers of singers. He was similarly interested in discovering how the same small-group-versus-large-group principle would work among the instrumentalists.
Accordingly, soprano Nicole Heaston, mezzo-soprano Diane Thornton, tenor Brad Diamond and bass Craig Priebe handled a number of choruses, and the Kandinsky Trio was the core of an instrumental concertino group that accompanied a number of vocal solo arias.
Yes, it was strange not to see the entire chorus rising at the beginning of "For unto us a child is born." But not as strange as it would have been a few decades ago, before Joshua Rifkin introduced similarly heretical notions into Bach's "Mass in B Minor" and many Bach cantatas. As Sandborg said in an interview prior to the performance, "It's not traditional but it's within the sphere of authenticity."
Craig Priebe was in Roanoke for a "Messiah" two years ago and has obviously gone from strength to strength in the interim. Priebe has an immensely big bass instrument and knows how to use it to maximum effect. He infused even the driest recitative with emotion and drama. His great bass aria "And the trumpet shall sound" in Part III was among the best live performances of this piece I've ever heard. He is a tremendously gifted musical performer.
Similarly impressive was tenor Brad Diamond, whose seemingly effortless performance included beautiful vocal ornamentation. Diamond trills an 'r' like cracking a whip. At the same artistic level was soprano Nicole Heaston, whose facility with trills and other ornamentation was not quite as great, but who has a voice of crystalline purity.
Mezzo Diane Thornton did not have a good night, sounding dead and emotionless too much of the time.
These four had a fine vocal blend in their choruses, however, and the contrast between small and large vocal contingents was texturally interesting. A good example of this was "All we like sheep," which began with solo quartet, changing dramatically to full chorus. The solo quartet was not a bad move tactically, either, because when the full chorus tackled the difficult section, "His yoke is easy," the men made a hash of the 16th-note runs.
Kandinsky Trio violinist Benedict Goodfriend did a beautiful job playing as a solo the violin obbligato parts customarily done by the entire section. His ornamentation was tasteful and appropriate, and his huge sound is almost an entire violin section by itself. Goodfriend, incidentally, evoked screams of enthusiasm and shouts of "Bravo!" when he was recognized after the performance.
Sandborg and his soloists were called back several times and all five received bouquets.
Seth Williamson produces feature news stories and a classical music program on public radio station WVTF (89.1 FM) in Roanoke.
by CNB