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Austin360 blogs > Austin Arts: Seeing Things > Archives > 2008 > December > 10 > Entry
Reviews: Austin Symphony Orchestra’s Handel’s ‘Messiah’
How is that two nights of back-to-back choral concerts can offer such radically different experiences?
Monday night, Conspirare thrilled with their Long Center debut of their holiday concert.
Tuesday night at Riverbend Centre, Austin Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Handel’s ‘Messiah’ failed to thrill.
Much — but not all — of that failure rests with fixable things: venue and production standards. More suited for amplified sound, Riverbend’s acoustics cast a damp layer over the sizable Parish Choirs of St. David’s Episcopal Church and the chamber orchestra led by guest conductor David Stevens. The resulting overall sound was muffled, lacking the necessary clarity and resonance to invigorate Handel’s much-performed oratorio.
The audience management didn’t help. Well into the fourth movement, latecomers were still being seated. Doors clanged and ushers flickered flashlights. It was an inexcusable level of noise and distraction that was disrespectful to both the audience and the musicians. And then 40 minutes into the music — just as Stevens and the ensemble were finally starting to gain some momentum with Handel’s joy-filled music — there was an intermission. There’s no reason ASO’s roughly 90-minute version of Handel’s masterpiece needs to be interrupted with an intermission. And doing so, as Tuesday’s concert showed, only depletes the energy and dramatic trajectory of the piece. Indeed, it took awhile for Stevens to re-build focus in the second half.
Not that there was an abundance of focus and energy to this ‘Messiah.’ Stevens wrested some commendable dynamics from the orchestra and there were some crisp moments that were nonetheless muffled by the bad acoustics. But some shaky soloists and a sometimes timid chorus disappointed.
A sturdy warhorse of a Christmas music tradition, Handel’s ‘Messiah’ should sparkle, not just fill a date on the holiday entertainment roster.
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By Rita Kuntz
December 12, 2008 5:23 PM | Link to this
It is my understanding that one reason for the late arrivals was a significant problem with traffic on Loop 360. Perhaps the starting time could have been delayed to accommodate them?
There was a similar problem with a recent performance of the Austin Lyric Opera which occurred at the same time as a program at Auditorium Shores, causing major traffic and parking problems and very late arrivals. And the heavy rain and thunder that night could be heard during the Messiah (another problem with the venue). Rita Kuntz, Guest Vocalist
By Melinda Rodriguez
December 12, 2008 2:57 PM | Link to this
Your comments about the acoustics and audience management are valid. It was especially distracting to the vocalists to see doors opened/closed and guests seated throughout the entire performance, flashes and video recording device lights were equally distracting. The poor acoustics made it especially difficult for vocalists to hear the orchestra as well as the other vocalists. I would assert that the timidity that you perceived from the chorus was not due to lack of musical skill, but poor acoustics which can play a significant role in acoustic perturbation, harmonic-to-noise ratio, pitch and amplitude ranges.
Melinda, Alto, Guest Vocalist at St. David’s
By Anthony Corroa
December 11, 2008 8:04 AM | Link to this
Thank you for your comments. In case you were not aware, a break between “Part the First” and “Part the Second and Third” is traditional in any performance of Handel’s Messiah. Also, no orchestra in this country which is governed by a Union contract may play longer than 90 minutes (this performance totaled 97 minutes) without break. You seem to have trouble researching your facts before printing your opinions.
The other issues you reference hold some validity.
Anthony J. Corroa Interim Executive Director Austin Symphony Orchestra
By Dan Spence
December 10, 2008 8:07 PM | Link to this
The 100% professional conspirare can’t be exactly compared with the 98% volunteer St. David’s choir. So its easy to see how the concerts can vary. But Thank you so much for pointing out the BIG flaws of the venue and house management. I hope we can do it again somewhere else (long center any one?) Thank you, Dan Spence, Tenor, St David’s