Master Chorale opens with Mendelssohn’s ‘Elijah’
Posted on Thu, Nov. 20, 2008
By Charles Greenfield cdgpm@bellsouth.net
The changing of the guard over the summer at the Master Chorale of South Florida has turned out to be rather smooth and seamless. With Dr. Jo-Michael
Scheibe’s departure for Southern California and the entrance of Dr. Joshua Habermann, the assistant director and conductor of the
San Francisco Symphony Chorus for the last 12 years, different styles of conducting are beginning to emerge. Whereas the former always
seemed to take charge with a willful energy, the latter takes on a softer and more diffused manner that focuses on questions of coloring
and tonal nuance.
With classical singers from the tri-county area the chorale with much of its core from the defunct Florida Philharmonic Chorus (2003)
has easily taken the mantle of the region’s top choral group. Under Scheibe they performed such masterworks as the Brahms’ Requiem,
Mozart’s Requiem and Mass in C minor, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Cleveland Orchestra, and Carl Orff’s Carmina
Burana. This season it will sing with the Empire Brass and the Russian National Orchestra.
For their presentation of Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Habermann and the Master Chorale (The People, Priests of Baal) were joined by the
Boca Raton Symphonia along with baritone Donnie Ray Albert (Elijah), tenor Glenn Siebert (Obadiah, King Ahab),
mezzo-soprano Hannah Sharene Penn (Queen Jezebel, an Angel), soprano Angela Cadelago (an Angel), and boy soprano Alejandro Pichardo (a
Child) on Nov.15 at Miami’s
Trinity Cathedral. Based on the biblical prophet, Mendelssohn’s oratorio is non-chronological but gives a dramatic interpretation
of his struggle against Israel’s King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, the devastating drought, the false god Baal, and Elijah’s eventual
fiery ascension to the Lord.
Well received, even a “hit” at its introduction in 1846 at England’s Birmingham Town Hall, Elijah was attacked by critics
like George Bernard Shaw and Richard Wagner for its clichéd structure. Still, Mendelssohn opens the work with Elijah’s “As
God the Lord” rather than a traditional overture. Albert’s baritone retains a deep resonance that is not always limber in
its articulation but holds tightly to the dramatic sweep of the text. Here the curse and even arrogance of the religious controvert is
well craft, an apt foreshadowing of the prophet’s rise, decline, fall and apotheosis.
The chorus in “Help, Lord!” responded with excellent multi-voice interchanges with high marks throughout the night for the
sopranos and the a cappella trio of soprano section leader Kristen DiNonno and altos Emily Fuhrmann and Sophie Beharie in Part Two’s “Lift
thine eyes”. Habermann showed fine skill in the light and airy handling of the double octet of male and female singers in “For
He shall give His angels” while the Chorus and Philharmonia followed in “Blessed are the men that fear Him” with an
engaging welling-up by tenors and basses in the ascending triads and subsequent fortissimo. The series of interplays between Albert and
the Chorus (parts 10-15) were spirited and convincing although some slurring was noticeable by the baritone.
After Albert’s martial and vengeful rendition in “Is not His word like a Fire?” mezzo-soprano Penn gave a serene and
self-contained version of “Woe unto them who forsake Him”.
The closing of Part I “Thanks be to God” nicely calibrated the narrative’s drought/rain theme with the appropriate
bed of strings, horn punctuations, gallant arpeggios, and the peals of Trinity organist Matthew Steynor.
The Part II opener “Hear ye, Israel” with soprano Cadelago lacked projection and sounded somewhat timid considering the
hortatory language and Siebert’s Obadiah in “Man of God” needed more spunk in delivery. The evening’s highpoint
was the beautifully sung “It is enough” with the lovely cello obligato complementing perfectly Albert’s deep voice.
Habermann gathered steam in the confluence of tempest-earthquake-fire in “Behold, God the Lord passed by” as chorus gave
a rousing fortissimo performance. In Elijah’s final piece “For the mountains shall depart” the oboes were a plaintive
counterpoint to the baritone’s moving words “but Thy kindness shall not depart from me.” The chorus conclusion of “And
then shall your light break forth” had fugal excitement without unnecessary bombast.
The Master Chorale under the direction of Habermann has launched its season with flair and solid optimism.
In their Christmas special of carols with the Empire Brass, “Singing in the Season II,” from Dec. 12-14, the chorale will
perform works by Monteverdi and Praetorius, Charles Ives and Tchaikovsky, Britten and Prokofiev, along with the Pine Crest School Choir.
Vocal music certainly has its foot in the cultural arts door!
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The Master Chorale of South Florida is South Florida’s premier classical choral ensemble. The talented singers volunteer their time for the satisfaction of performing the most challenging choral repertoire at the highest artistic level in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.
The Master Chorale of South Florida was formed to ensure that world-class concerts of major choral-orchestral works remain a part of South Florida’s cultural fabric. Through innovative programming, artistic passion, and superb performances of the greatest music ever written, the Master Chorale of South Florida strives to foster feelings of joy and excitement in the hearts of audiences.
Contact: Nancy Gates-Lee, 954-770-2805
