The following appeared in today's Victoria Times-Colonist
Mahler Symphony No.8
Linda Mabbs, Joanne Kolomyjec, Valdine Anderson, sopranos
Jean Stilwell, mezzo-soprano
Elizabeth Turnbull, contralto
Mark Lundberg, tenor
Daniel Lichti,Tom Goerz, bass-baritones
Vancouver Symphony Orchestra
Victoria Symphony
Vancouver Bach Choir
Vancouver Chamber Choir
Masterworks Choir
Elektra Women's Choir
Chor Leoni Men's Choir
Vancouver Cantata Singers
Vancouver Bach Children's Chorus
Sergiu Comissiona, conductor
Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Vancouver
September 25
By Deryk Barker
Look in most dictionaries of quotations and under "Mahler, Gustav
(1860-1911)" you will find a single quote, his comment on visiting
Niagara Falls: "At last! Fortissimo!"
Mahler said this after the composition, in 1906, but almost certainly
before the first performance in September 1910 of his monumental
Symphony No.8, nicknamed, by its promoter, the "Symphony of a Thousand".
(For the 1029 performers at the premiere)
On Saturday night in a packed Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Sergiu
Comissiona directed his eight soloists, seven choirs and 125-strong
orchestra in a performance of the Eighth which was dramatic, thrilling
even overwhelming at times; yet which somehow, despite some excellent
playing and singing, seemed to miss the point.
Comissiona does not seem a natural Mahlerian; and while the Eighth
may, more than any other work by Mahler, almost play itself, there
are still points of clear emphasis which need to be made.
Two such occurred in the first part. The first was the appearance
of the children's choir at the words "amorem cordibus". If we accept
that the work is "about" the redemptive power of love allied to the
creative spirit, then this first supplication to "infuse our hearts
with love" is a key moment. Unfortunately -- at least in part because
of the placement of the children's choir on the stage at the rear of
the orchestra, below the adult singers -- they were virtually inaudible
at this point.
Later, the transition to the coda brings one of Mahler's most gorgeous
cadences, from the celestial E major (unattainable perfection, as
Donald Mitchell suggests) to the home key of E flat (considered a
sacred key, because of the Trinity of flats). Unfortunately, the
performance simply sailed through this passage as if it were mere
filler material.
Staging was evidently a problem; the presence of an electronic organ
was doubtless necessary, but other issues could surely have been
avoided: the frequently inaudible percussion, for instance, as well
as the "celestial continuo" of harmonium, celesta and piano, all
failed to make their proper contribution to Mahler's constantly
shifting textures.
And one of his greatest effects, the offstage brass, was also
undermined by its placing. I'm sure the composer did not expect it
to sound louder than the onstage forces (certainly this was not his
intent in either Das klagende Lied or the Symphony No.2) yet for most
of the audience this was precisely the effect achieved.
The choral singing was mostly very fine and only early in part two,
when the male voices describe Goethe's setting for the final scene
from Faust, was there any doubt about the intonation. The children,
too, when one could hear them, produced a wonderfully fresh and
innocent sound.
I wonder, though, whether there wasn't some discreet amplification
employed: certainly there was a row of microphones hanging in front
of the choirs. This taken with the surprising audibility of pages
turning, an apparent inability to sing quietly (the final Chorus
mysticus is marked ppp and "like a breath", not the distinct mezzo-forte
we heard) and a strange lack of focus of the choral sound, suggested
that it might.
The soloists were mainly very good, facing up bravely to Mahler's
well-nigh impossible demands, although Comissiona could have reined
in the orchestra at certain points where his soloists were struggling
to be heard.
It was a shame that Mark Lundberg's natural range would appear to be
that of a baritone, he is certainly not the heldentenor the part
requires.
And pity poor Valdine Anderson; the role of Mater Gloriosa is a
fearsomely difficult one anyway, involving just two line sung in the
highest register. Despite a slight crack on the first "Komm!" she
was excellent, although I would have preferred a less "knowing"
vibrato.
But in every other performance I have seen, she is placed offstage
in an elevated position, so that her voice floats down ethereally
from the heights. Placing her onstage not only, I suspect, made her
job more difficult, it also completely wrecked one of Mahler's great
coups de theatre.
The orchestra for the most part played superbly; it was a real
treat to hear such a huge, lush string sound; the winds, to whom
Mahler gives much of his most characteristic music in this, his least
characteristic work, were splendid; and the brass, who bear the brunt
of much of the more dramatic music, were magnificent.
I do not wish, however, to leave the wrong impression. For all its
shortcomings, this was still a spectacular and eminently enjoyable
occasion. And to paraphrase Dr. Johnson: there is no performance
of Mahler's 8th so inconsiderable that I would not rather hear it
than not.
Deryk Barker
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