Messiah performances reviewed in regional papers
On Thursday, December 8 and Friday, December 9, Hawthorne Valley High School Chorus, directed by Lawrence Glatt, presented excerpts from Handel's Messiah at St. Mary's Church in Hudson, NY. The High School Chorus was joined by Soprano soloist Nancy Lundy, Baritone soloist Philip Cutlip, Harpsichordist Mariken Palmboom, the Columbia Greene Community Orchestra, and students in Grades 5 through 8.
See below for a recap of the performances by John Paul Keeler of Hudson-Catskill Newspapers who concludes his article:
One hopes that this event with these musicians in St. Mary’s will continue this superb community event in the years to come. Certainly the performances for the community were a spiritual winter walk in the paradise garden of Handel’s “Messiah”.
Hawthorne Valley excerpts from Handel’s ‘Messiah’at St. Mary’s Church
By John Paul Keeler
For Hudson-Catskill Newspapers
The Hawthorne Valley Waldorf School presented excerpts from George Frideric Handel’s (1685-1759) Oratorio “Messiah” on December 8th and 9th at St. Mary’s Church in Hudson. The Hawthorne Valley School Chorus along with the Catskill Chamber Orchestra and the Hawthorne Valley School Orchestra under the direction of Lawrence Glatt were joined by guest soloists Soprano Nancy Allen Lundy, Bass–Baritone Philip Cutlip and Harpsichordist Mariken Palmboom in a splendid performance of Handel’s music.
In the more than half century of this writer’s experience in Columbia County these performances were a unique community event. To hear such wonderful music at this time of year in the Cathedral like space and perfect acoustic of St. Mary’s packed to the very doorways was unprecedented.
The somber E Minor Sinfonia opening the concert set the mood of musical beauty for the evening. Then the chorus “And the Glory of the Lord Shall Be Revealed” soared forth with striking brilliance. To be a Handel soloist requires brilliant voice, technique and mature expression. Bass-Baritone Philip Cutlip brought stunning vocal bravura and dramatic and lyric expression to the great Reciative and aria “But Who May Abide the Day of His Coming”. Most of the other arias performed were sung by students too young and vocally immature for Handel’s great music, even though their sweet piping and sincere effort had considerable charm.
The great Chorus “For Unto Us A Child is Born” pictures the Nativity in music the way the greatest paintings of Fra Angelico, Giotto, Botticelli and the other great Italian artists rendered it on canvas . The first great innovation of the evening was the performance pf the “Pastoral Symphomy”. Handel as a young man in Italy heard the Italian Shepherds piping their music as they tended their flock. The composer remembering it while composing “Messiah” wrote it for orchestra and recorders. Well in this performance at least twenty young people placed along the altar rail played the piece with the orchestra to stunning effect. Maestro Glatt conducted with Handelian Elan and the Chamber Orchestra played with bright beautiful sound.
It was interesting to observe the facial expressions of the young choristers and hear their wonderful singing. Indeed they understood and enjoyed what they were singing, they got it. The four great choruses following in succession were a high point of the concert. In the “Glory to God” chorus when they sang of “Peace on Earth Good Will Towards Men” there was a distinct impress of Good Will and Shalom falling on the audience.
“Surely He Has Borne Our Griefs and Carried Our Sorrows” in its poignant angst could hardly be missed in this time of world wide suffering. “And with His Stripes We are healed” certainly speaks of faith and hope and trust so needed in every era. Finally “All We Like Sheep are Gone Astray, Every One to His own Way” gave the musical picture of many flocks of sheep going this way and that without a shepherd in sight. Suddenly with a stroke of musical and spiritual genius an adagio tells us” and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all”
Another stunning innovation was having the little children with their sweet voices sing the great chorus “Lift up your heads o ye gates and the King of Glory shall come in”. Handel only wrote a single duet in the oratorio representing Adam and Eve “O Death Where is Thy Sting” but for this performance it became a small ensemble as did the joyful chorus “But Thanks be To God”. They didn’t come off quite right but did suggest the frailty of the human family. The searing aria from “Job” - “I know that My Redeemer Liveth and in my flesh shall I see God” was sung with a superb combination of vocal brilliance and dramatic intensity by soprano Nancy Ann Lundy.
When King George the second attended his first hearing of “Messiah” for the moment during the singing of the great “Hallelujah Chorus” the King seemed aware that he was a little King and stood to honor the King of Kings. The audience stood with the King and that has been the tradition ever since. This writer in his younger days sang many performances of the Bass-Baritone role in “Messiah” and the performance of the great Chorus at St. Mary’s both evenings matched anything he has heard through the years. It was particularly delightful that the audience ignored the tradition of not applauding between arias and choruses. Their enthusiastic response was part of the glory of the evenings.
One hopes that this event with these musicians in St. Mary’s will continue this superb community event in the years to come. Certainly the performances for the community were a spiritual winter walk in the paradise garden of Handel’s “Messiah”.