New Jersey Symphony – Xian Zhang, conductor; Montclair State University Singers, Heather J. Buchanan, conductor. March 16, 2018.

Richardson Auditorium in Princeton.  Balcony (Seat GG21, $15).

Program

Ave vernum corpus, K. 618 (1791) by Mozart (1756-1791).

Abendlied for a cappella chorus (1855, rev. 1863) by Rheinberger (1839-1901).

Flame for a capella chorus (2011) by Parry (b. 1965).

Requiem, K. 626 (1791) by Mozart (compl. Sussmayr).

Soloists: Emily Pogorelc, soprano; Kendra Broom, mezzo-soprano; Roy Hage, tenor; Dugukan Kuran, baritone.

Tonight’s program was relatively short at about 75 minutes total.  The Requiem is about 50 minutes in duration, and the other pieces a few minutes each.

Both Ave vernum corpus and the Requiem were written during Mozart’s last year of life.  In fact Zhang explained that Mozart’s contribution to the Mass stops at “Lacrimosa,” and that the orchestra would pause for a bit before it continued.  The Program Notes was a bit less clear, as Sussmayr evidently concluded the piece with what Mozart had for the beginning.  Probably still a raging debate among Mozart musicologists, but the piece sounded coherent enough for my untrained ears.  I could tell there was a change in style (timber, richness, etc) from Mozart to Sussmayr, but that sensitivity was no doubt suggested by Zhang’s comments.

Within a couple of minutes Anne decided Montclair students don’t sing as well as Westminster students.  I took a bit longer to come to the same conclusion.  The sopranos sounded very strained on the high notes, and there were problems with precision.  On the other hand, the average age was a tender 20, per Zhang.

The soloists are all voice students from Curtis, which evidently requires the students to mention full scholarships are given to them, and what scholarship it is.  The soprano has a clear but unrefined voice, the baritone was weak on the low notes (perhaps expected?).

The pieces by Joseph Rheinberger and Ben Parry were both sung a capella.  Abendlied is based on Luke 24:29 “bide with us, for evening shadows darken, and the day will soon be over.”  Ben Parry is a young British composer.  The lyrics were by Garth Bardsley and is Buddhist in nature: happiness never decreases by being shared.  I don’t know of any religion that would say this is not true, though.  The lights were dimmed for Parry’s piece, and then one “candle” appeared and the light was passed on to the entire chorus.  One way to illustrate the point, a bit cheesy for me.

At the conclusion of the concert.  Front of stage from L to R: Kuran, Hage, Broom, Porgorelc, Buchanan.

Despite my misgivings, I enjoyed the concert.

These tickets were bought at $15 each when they were on sale on Thanksgiving Day.