J.S Bach's Mass in B minor (Malaysian Premiere)
Conductor: Lee Chong Min
Soloist: Chia Yee Yean (soprano), Anna Koor (mezzo-soprano), Ndaru Darsona (tenor), John Tan (bass)
Choir: Yin Qi Choir, SBC Singers, Hallelujah Singers,
JB Chorale
Venue: Dewan Wawasan, Menara PGRM, Cheras, KL.
Date: 18/7/2009 (Saturday)
It took an awfully long time for J.S Bach's mammoth setting of the Catholic mass, premiering in Malaysia just recently (if not mistaken) when the American premiere was held 100 years ago. This is a very different league from Handel's Messiah or Mozart's Requeim if you consider the complex fugal writing for the choirs alone to tackle.
The performance was organized by Yin Qi Center and also Singapore Bible College and Te Deum Music Workshop (hopefully got my facts right) so obviously it is a Christian-sponsored initiative. It is good for these organisations to promote more of performances of classical works in Christian canon as opposed to attempts by so-called charismatic groups organizing "Christian metal" or Christian clubbing" events which is a lame way of using MTV to lure non-believers. While acknowledged that Bach's works were written for the glory of his God alone, his music does not necessarily be exclusive to Christians.
For starters I do not understand the abnormally imbalanced proportions of choir:orchestra ratio. The choir members I counted roughly 120 of them while the orchestra accompaniment is pretty sparse; 2 or 3 first and second violins if I remember, two violas and celli, one double bass, horn, 2 flutes, oboes and 3 trumpets. The orchestra played with influences of H.I.P school of playing (whether authentic enough is another matter) but still if they double the players to complement the choir and play it in old-school way (Klemperer or Karajan) it doesn't matter. Despite using miked settings, the orchestral parts are audible enough to be heard. The sucker are the two oboe d'amores that Bach required and even in non-H.I.P recordings under Karajan and Klemperer these were used. I was informed one of the oboists had to petition the organizers to at least borrow these d'amore oboes and they only got one (from MPO) while the other oboist have to substitute for oboe/cor anglais combination which is ridiculous. At least having one saves the evening although Bach purists may differ.
Conductor Lee Chong Min from the programme notes I understand is a seasoned conductor of Christian productions which includes classical Christian canon (Haydn's St Theresa Mass, Mozart and Brahms Requiem etc) and his credentials include training under a renowned Helmuth Rilling (who recorded the Mass with Bach Colleagum-Stuttgart on Hanssler). Chong Min's choices of tempi seems to be a "modular" style akin to a little bit like Jascha Horenstein, that means transitions from one movement to another seems very natural and not boggled down by "gear changes" and the music isn't drag down by "episodic" moments which may stood out and compromise the architecture of the work. One example that comes to my mind is Crucifixus where conductors often slows down the tempi to crotchet = 45-50 and Chong Min's tempi is also perfectly natural neither too draggy nor too swift, more Andante than Largo. However some profound music in the Mass, especially the moments with mysterious dissonances the performers sounded eager to glance over them. Also the concluding movement Dona Nobis Pacem was disappointing as it does not give the feeling of summation of the moment or sense of departure after two hours of meditation in music.
Technical wise, the choirs did a tremendous job and they are the heart of this work. Apart from a little shaky start at second half's Credo and the almost train-wreck at the first half of Et Rexurrexit (the dissonant harmonies sounded very comtemporary by still today's standards) you have to hand it to them for terrific hard work and effort put in. The soloists are fine and I adore Anna Koay's mezzo singing and the tenor Ndaru Dossana has a very fine clear tenor voice. The violin obbligatto for Laudamus te sounds as if the performer was zipping through, the ornaments played way too quick but that solo part is akin to walking circus tightrope anyways.
Again kudos to the performers and pulling off the Mass with minor hitches is already a tremendous achievement. The almost exclusively Singaporean orchestra has two MPYO members playing the winds. However the Mass is best experienced in a more appropriate acoustical setting (as in a church) and a balanced orchestra to choir ratio. It would be nice to hear this performed in DFP, if the day comes that the Powers to-be acknowledges the role of Christian music in classical music canon.
Soloist: Chia Yee Yean (soprano), Anna Koor (mezzo-soprano), Ndaru Darsona (tenor), John Tan (bass)
Choir: Yin Qi Choir, SBC Singers, Hallelujah Singers,
JB Chorale
Venue: Dewan Wawasan, Menara PGRM, Cheras, KL.
Date: 18/7/2009 (Saturday)
It took an awfully long time for J.S Bach's mammoth setting of the Catholic mass, premiering in Malaysia just recently (if not mistaken) when the American premiere was held 100 years ago. This is a very different league from Handel's Messiah or Mozart's Requeim if you consider the complex fugal writing for the choirs alone to tackle.
The performance was organized by Yin Qi Center and also Singapore Bible College and Te Deum Music Workshop (hopefully got my facts right) so obviously it is a Christian-sponsored initiative. It is good for these organisations to promote more of performances of classical works in Christian canon as opposed to attempts by so-called charismatic groups organizing "Christian metal" or Christian clubbing" events which is a lame way of using MTV to lure non-believers. While acknowledged that Bach's works were written for the glory of his God alone, his music does not necessarily be exclusive to Christians.
For starters I do not understand the abnormally imbalanced proportions of choir:orchestra ratio. The choir members I counted roughly 120 of them while the orchestra accompaniment is pretty sparse; 2 or 3 first and second violins if I remember, two violas and celli, one double bass, horn, 2 flutes, oboes and 3 trumpets. The orchestra played with influences of H.I.P school of playing (whether authentic enough is another matter) but still if they double the players to complement the choir and play it in old-school way (Klemperer or Karajan) it doesn't matter. Despite using miked settings, the orchestral parts are audible enough to be heard. The sucker are the two oboe d'amores that Bach required and even in non-H.I.P recordings under Karajan and Klemperer these were used. I was informed one of the oboists had to petition the organizers to at least borrow these d'amore oboes and they only got one (from MPO) while the other oboist have to substitute for oboe/cor anglais combination which is ridiculous. At least having one saves the evening although Bach purists may differ.
Conductor Lee Chong Min from the programme notes I understand is a seasoned conductor of Christian productions which includes classical Christian canon (Haydn's St Theresa Mass, Mozart and Brahms Requiem etc) and his credentials include training under a renowned Helmuth Rilling (who recorded the Mass with Bach Colleagum-Stuttgart on Hanssler). Chong Min's choices of tempi seems to be a "modular" style akin to a little bit like Jascha Horenstein, that means transitions from one movement to another seems very natural and not boggled down by "gear changes" and the music isn't drag down by "episodic" moments which may stood out and compromise the architecture of the work. One example that comes to my mind is Crucifixus where conductors often slows down the tempi to crotchet = 45-50 and Chong Min's tempi is also perfectly natural neither too draggy nor too swift, more Andante than Largo. However some profound music in the Mass, especially the moments with mysterious dissonances the performers sounded eager to glance over them. Also the concluding movement Dona Nobis Pacem was disappointing as it does not give the feeling of summation of the moment or sense of departure after two hours of meditation in music.
Technical wise, the choirs did a tremendous job and they are the heart of this work. Apart from a little shaky start at second half's Credo and the almost train-wreck at the first half of Et Rexurrexit (the dissonant harmonies sounded very comtemporary by still today's standards) you have to hand it to them for terrific hard work and effort put in. The soloists are fine and I adore Anna Koay's mezzo singing and the tenor Ndaru Dossana has a very fine clear tenor voice. The violin obbligatto for Laudamus te sounds as if the performer was zipping through, the ornaments played way too quick but that solo part is akin to walking circus tightrope anyways.
Again kudos to the performers and pulling off the Mass with minor hitches is already a tremendous achievement. The almost exclusively Singaporean orchestra has two MPYO members playing the winds. However the Mass is best experienced in a more appropriate acoustical setting (as in a church) and a balanced orchestra to choir ratio. It would be nice to hear this performed in DFP, if the day comes that the Powers to-be acknowledges the role of Christian music in classical music canon.
posted by Corgan Sow at 7:17 pm
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