Andrew Davis conducted the San Francisco Symphony tonight in the works
of two great Romantic composers: Dvorak and Bach.  Such classification
surely fits the former (whose Symphony No.  7 graced the program), but
there is room for disagreement about Bach-as-Grieg, Bach-as-Chopin
...  Bach-as-Dvorak.

Davis' own orchestration of Bach's Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor
opened the concert, performed in a slow, meandering, "Fantasia"-treacle
manner, to great public acclaim.

Countertenor David Daniels and oboist William Bennett were the soloists
in Bach's Cantata No.  82, which followed the example of the Passacaglia,
although not to such complete detriment of a more "conservative" approach
to Bach.

And yet, while Bennett played his part in a straightforward manner,
Daniels followed Davies in a dreamy, pretty display of what is among
the most beautiful voices around.  But perhaps "Ich habe genug" is - or
should be - more than a bel canto exercise.  Musically and spiritually,
it is a milestone in Western civilization, and - notwithstanding its
superb simplicity - a complex, many-layered work.

In Daniels' performance - supported by a small, excellent chamber orchestra
- one heard a single modality of the music, as one would in an aria by
Bellini or Donizetti.

When Thomas Quasthoff sings "Ich habe genug," there is sorrow ("that
shackles me on earth"), despair ("I must build upon misery"), resignation
("slumber now, my weary eyes"), demand ("when will come the longed-for
`Now!'"), acceptance ("I look with joy toward my death"), and exultation
("there I shall behold sweet peace, quiet repose") - and yet it is all
one piece, one large gesture, which integrates pain, joy, fear and
reassurance seamlessly.

In Davies Hall, however, there was only the beautiful singing, incongruously
long pauses between sections, and a single change in dynamics near the
end.  A minority opinion - in face of the ovation - is that both Daniels
and Bach were shortchanged.  This Cantata No.  82 contradicted itself:
it was not enough.

Janos Gereben/SF
www.sfcv.org
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