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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