I freely admit I have been looking forward to this program of the Norwalk
Symphony Orchestra since I first heard about it almost a year ago. And what
initially intrigued me was that "The Sea Symphony" by Ralph Vaughan Williams
was being programmed by itself.
Many conventions of programming would seem to work against the idea: At a
little longer than 60 minutes, the timing is on the short side with no
opportunity for an intermission; and most programs include a concerto and a
variety of composers and historical styles.
But the decision to program the work alone paid off at the Feb. 25 performance
of the NSO, which was joined by the Mendelssohn Choir. Programming the work
alone allowed for both performers and audience to focus on one message.
Before the music began, a collection of photographs by local artists depicting
aspects of the sea were projected on two large screens on either side of the
stage. This collaboration with the Silvermine Guild Arts Center set an
atmosphere not only of water and the environment of coastal Connecticut, but
more importantly of meditation. Essential to the Vaughn Williams design is
that the sea is not only vibrancy and motion but also a symbol of the mystical
unknown. The atmosphere created by the photographs viewed in a surrounding
darkness that encompassed the entire stage set the perfect groundwork for this
idea.
When the lights came up on the first movement, it was a sharp contrast.
Conductor Diane Wittry chose a brisk tempo and drew vigor and volume from
textures woven from music by soloists, choral polyphony and orchestral
interplay. The orchestra sounded great throughout the evening. The strings in
particular produced a continually rich and full sound that provided the
support essential to this piece.
The second movement featured the carefully balanced surfaces of great chamber
music -- energy generated among friends. It is a critical place in the overall
symphony that must count if we are to believe the final movement. From there
it was all about soloist Douglas Webster. He highlighted the narrative quality
and chant-like characteristics of the lines, allowing unexpected flourishes to
stand apart strongly.
Soprano soloist Jeanine Thames brought an operatic power to her part. Although
much-needed at times, she could have more frequently explored the lieder
qualities of the part even at the cost of balances. Nonetheless, her line in
the first movement, "Token of all brave captains, and all intrepid sailors and
mates," was delivered over the course of a controlled shift in supported color
changes and diminuendo that startled the hall.
But make no mistake -- this is a choral work. Its success will ride upon the
preparation and ultimate endurance of the chorus. The Mendelssohn choir came
ready to sing and was superbly prepared by its artistic director and
conductor, Carole Ann Maxwell. The third movement is something of a concerto
for chorus; if the winter Olympics had a vocal/choral event, this is the kind
of repertoire it would contain. The chorus delivered and articulated the
ferocious text at breakneck speed and glided with the hemiolas and other
rhythmic slides and amusements contained in the movement. The chorus seemed
very aware of how individual parts contributed not only to the immediate
texture but also to the overall design of the movement and the work as a
whole. The Mendelssohn Choir interacted with the soloists and the orchestra
exceptionally well. Very subtle balances in the second and fourth movements
made the singers seem like part of the orchestra.
There were many other wonderful moments: the ghostly offstage choir singing,
"Wherefore unsatisfied soul? Whither O mocking life?" The voices picked up a
gorgeous reverberating color well worth the effort of having those poor folks
wait around three movements to create it.
The great surprise of this symphony is that it turns away from an obvious
grand smashing ending to a contemplative mystical place. "O my brave soul! O
farther, farther sail!" It is no simple matter to maximize this quality, but
the audience was prepared for it even before the beginning with those
photographs, and it came across as clearly as I have ever heard it done live.
It helped that Wittry connected the second and third movements attaca, and
chose very little space between the third and fourth movements. This brought a
sense of building momentum into the finale. The silence at the close was
extended until it was collapsed by applause -- not only dramatic but also a
way of trying to hold on to the meditation.
I would have only wished for the complete text to be printed in the program.
The reason is that one needs to use it like a map to guide one actively
through the complexities on the surface. Michael Fink's program notes also
made useful observations dependent upon text clues that would have made for a
more active listening with a printed text in addition to the projected text.
The use of the projected text was quite clever, particularly the alterations
of the original Whitman indicated in italics.
This was a great event that showed a structural and inventive collection of
collaborations that is becoming distinctive of the Norwalk Symphony. It is
within this collaborative framework a very unique cultural experience.
