The Messiah

The Messiah is one of those unique masterpieces which must be done perfectly if it is to be done at all. Handel created the music in 24 days of concentrated effort. Every phrase plays a key part in the whole; each line is at once a beautiful thing in itself and an ornament to the rest. If even the second violins play sloppily, an excellent chorus cannot atone; if a recitative is hurried, a perfectly paced aria becomes pointless. The grandeur of Handel, like the glory of Bach, cannot rest on Yuletide spirit alone.

However, the Pierian Sodality was fooled into thinking that a Messiah performance could be slapped together in little rehearsal time. Friday night's concert relied too heavily on traditional enthusiasm as a substitute for technical proficiency. After the tenor's Every valley shall be exalted, for instance, the chorus And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed should follow as a natural extension of the aria. Conductor Alfred Nash Patterson permitted long gaps of silence which destroyed the relationship. He misconceived some musical details as well. Instead of grouping the dotted rhythms of the overture in melodic phrases, he chopped them into monotonous two note fragments. Handel marked Larghetto the sombre People that walked in darkness; Patterson whipped it to an inappropriate speed. He also rushed the alto's Oh Thou that tellest good tidings, and consequently the choral repetition lacked contrast.

Under Mr. Patterson the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra combined spirit and inaccuracy to sound like a typical group of musical amateurs. The strings often played out of tune in both the Messiah and Corelli's Christmas Concerto. Vigorously conducted by Michael Greenebaum '55, the concerto showed off Pierian's excellent first desk players, but they were hampered by the in-accuracies of those behind them.

Only the soloists performed expertly. Edward Munro, tenor dispatched the florid Every valley with accuracy and pleasant sound; although bass Irvin Nordquist lacked truly dark vocal color, his part remained dramatically exciting. Eunice Alberts, a little too restrained at first, improved after intermission, displaying her rich contralto tone and careful diction. Soprano Marguerite Willauer distinguished herself in both the intricate coloratura of Rejoice greatly and the more restrained line of the recitatives.

The most moving moments of the concert came as the two women, accompanied by a few of the best string players, poured out the double aria He shall feed His flock. They offered technical proficiency with their enthusiasm and tasteful musicianship with their good intentions. Only then did Handel's notes cease to be a hurdle and become an inspiration.