Haydn's "The Creation," the most cheerful sacred-music work there is, had
singing galore tonight in Davies Hall, most significantly by the man with
his back to the audience.  Helmuth Rilling and "Die Schoepfung" (this was
the German version, with supertitles) were made for each other - musically,
spiritually, in character and attitude.

And so it was, that under Rilling's baton, the San Francisco Symphony
performance soared high on the wings of songs - from Vance George's awesome
Symphony Chorus, from a trio of soloists, and from all the instruments
(woodwinds and brass rising to new heights).

Neither Bernstein's rhythmic orgy nor Karajan's dignified procession,
Rilling's performance was an unending song, and of utmost clarity.  The
texture was so transparent that I heard more of Haydn's anachronistic,
futuristic dissonances and 20th century tempo changes than ever before.

rilling, who performs all of Bach without a score, had "The Creation"
music in his head (and heart) as well, and true to his unique trademark, he
brought the text out in a stunning way.  There was no need for translation
when the chorus bridged silence and music, depicting "the spirit of God
moving upon the face of the waters." When the otherwise unexceptional tenor
Marcus Ullmann sang of the birth of light, Rilling hushed and molded the
orchestra so that the picture of "the silver moon moving through the silent
night" presented a palpable visual image, an atmosphere,
music-within-music.

Besides Rilling and the chorus, vocal honors belonged to Canadian soprano
Donna Brown, making her debut here.  A Pamina-Sophie-Nanetta soprano par
excellance, Brown also has volume and projection conquering Davies Hall's
one million cubic feet.  (Apparently, she also has Chimene under her belt,
a unique distinction to have sung one of the title roles in Debussy's
unfinished "Rodrique et Chimene.) Now that Julianna Banse - originally
scheduled for this performance - is canceling left and right during her
pregnancy, expect to hear Brown with Rilling in Stuttgart, Venezuela and
at the Oregon Bach Festival, a very good thing.

Baritone Andreas Schmidt (a Rilling regular) sang Raphael and Adam; after
a most impressive start - his "In the beginning." was uniquely memorable
- Schmidt settled down to a respectable, but not particularly beautiful
performance.  What made Brown's performance so special was how she
sustained excellence all the way through.  It was the vocal equivalent
of Rilling's work with the orchestra.

Don't miss the broadcast of this concert, on KDFC-FM, 102.1, at 8 p.m.,
Tuesday, May 1; also on http://www.kdfc.com/.

Janos Gereben/SF, CA
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