Fans of John Singer Sargent love Boston because it is home to so much of his work, including some of his greatest. Fans of George Frideric Handel will come to treasure our city in the same way if they notice what loving effort the the Handel and Haydn Society puts into producing and explicating some of his greatest work. I have learned from my H+H attendance of previous years to appreciate that Handel is one of the worlds great narrative artists. He adds music to text and uses voices and instruments to tell stories of great import, of nations fighting nations for instance, of heroes fighting and dying, and of nations mourning their fallen heroes. And these are stories of great subtlety as well. They might be about nations but individual characters provide the passion and will to set the forces of conflict in motion. In Samson Handel sets the titular character and his wife and nemesis, Dalilah, against each other in the second act - and their match creates sparks - but neither of them has much part in the 3rd act at all. The chorus, usually representing the Israelites to whom Sampson is their champion, shares the spinning out of ideas with soloists who represent different parts of his nation, including his father. I want to think more about what he did to hold all this great story together, and hope to write more about it tomorrow. But I do want to mention 2 things - 1. So much to appreciate in the blending of music and voice Harry Christophers has learned to accomplish, but I was also taken by staging tonight - particularly one deft little touch. Joélle Harvey, who sang Dalila, was the only musician on stage not wearing black - she rocked a seductive purple gown, with one exposed shoulder. But you didnt notice that anymore when she started singing - she had a seductive power to match Sampsons more moral force. 2. In a concert, it is the musicians job to make music. It is the job of the audience to create a cushion of attentive silence for that music to float upon. This means you refrain from whispering to your seatmate, you dont drop things, and you try to control your coughing. In a space like Symphony Hall every one of these extra-musical details can be clearly heard everywhere, and the more there are the more the audience is failing in its responsibility to the music. One more presentation of Sampson is happening on Sunday - Ill post a link about it in the comments.
Posted on: Sat, 03 May 2014 03:28:54 +0000
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