January 2010

Thom Mariner
Co-publisher, Express Cincinnati & EXP/arts

Unbelievable as it may seem, December’s performances of Handel’s Messiah represented the first time this most famous of all oratorios has ever been programmed as part of a Cincinnati Symphony subscription season. And even though each May Festival closes with the Hallelujah Chorus as the de rigueur encore, the complete Messiah has only been performed a half dozen times in its 136 years. Why is it that every church choir worth its salt takes on Messiah at some point, but our two venerable institutions seem to avoid it like end of year inventory?

Having been away from singing for several years because of a job that gave me no control over my schedule, I found myself back in charge of my life right at the time that Messiah rehearsals were gearing up. Given that the conductor was Nicholas McGegan, whose recordings I have respected for many years, I decided to inquire about sitting in with the May Festival Chorus. Robert Porco, director of the chorus, was kind enough to let me join in.

Baroque music was loosely constructed in comparison to what we find in more modern compositions. Much was left to individual interpretation and there was a great deal of assumed knowledge in terms of style and realization, not too dissimilar from the jazz and pop music of today. Nonetheless, it’s amazing how many different opinions, points of view and approaches there are about such a well-known piece of music.

• Chorus members arrived with a smorgasbord of earlier experiences ranging from provincial to professional.
• Maestro Porco is a passionate, purposeful man whose job it is to prepare the chorus ahead of time, peeling away the old wallpaper of previous learning and applying a blend of his own interpretations and the instructions of the incoming conductor.
• Maestro McGegan, a spritely stand-up comedian with a baton, had the task of imparting his decades of imprinted English baroque style to a spirited, yet part-time, Midwestern American chorus and orchestral players steeped in the Romantic tradition – and to do so in the span of three days.
• Add to this mix four soloists of diverse ages and background, each with their own predilections.Maestro

Oy vay…somehow it all works…mostly thanks to the genius of Handel.

McGegan possesses an astounding gift for metaphor, tossing them about liberally to help the musicians visualize the mood or gesture he needs to convey the music and text. A favorite of the week: “Just remember that ‘Hallelujah’ is Hebrew for ‘yippee!’” I have never seen a conductor on the podium enjoy himself more. Never a cross word. Never a sign of frustration. Rather a countenance of pure joy in bringing this masterwork to life.