Distinguished Concerts International New York presents Mozart’s Messiah
Distinguished Concerts Orchestra and Distinguished Concerts Singers International,
Jonathan Griffith, DCINY Artistic Director and Principal Conductor
Penelope Shumate, Soprano; Holly Sorenson, Mezzo-Soprano
Chad Kranak, Tenor; Christopher Job, Bass-Baritone
Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall, New York, NY
November 26, 2023
You know it is officially the holiday season when Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY) brings Handel’s Messiah to Carnegie Hall, and once again this year they magically transformed this reviewer’s post-Thanksgiving stupor into a readiness for carols, miracles, and all things Christmas. In case we needed a little extra magic, DCINY even had a Santa on hand, “working the crowd” before the concert. Though Handel’s music needs no such extras, many children could be heard requesting selfies with old Saint Nick in what may become a family tradition for many.
Several writers at New York Concert Review have reviewed this recurring gift to the New York concert scene over the years, so to avoid restating the same background information on history and differing versions, the reader can find more in this 2022 review: Mozart’s Messiah 2022. Though there have been variations in DCINY’s chosen versions (including those by Goossens and Mozart) and varying soloists and choruses (some returning and some new), the feeling of exhilaration seems as great or greater each year.
This year DCINY again chose (as in 2022) Mozart’s version, sung in English. They performed what are commonly called the “Christmas portions” of the three-part oratorio, those being the twenty-plus movements of Part I, plus the Hallelujah Chorus of Part II as its finale. Gone were some of the more somber sections including those dominated by the words “despised,” “broken,” and “grief,” for example – and in this time of sorrow, anger, and bitterness over world events, the more positive elements offered some much-needed brightness. Though performing just the “Christmas portions” sacrifices some beloved moments (such as from “All We Like Sheep,” “The Trumpet Shall Sound,” and more), it was a wise decision to keep the length manageable for an audience of all ages (particularly when there is no intermission). In a day of smartphones and short attention spans, it is worth winning audiences away from mere Internet listening towards a live experience that simply cannot be rivaled.
As the several hundred singers of Distinguished Concerts Singers International filed onto the stage one had to marvel at DCINY’s undertaking. The forces included choruses from Australia, Canada, Germany, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus (as DCINY advertises) “individual singers from around the globe.” Combining such personnel could approach the challenge of herding cats, but given the well-prepared ensembles and the expert conducting of Jonathan Griffith the resulting performances were commendable. Only briefly in the imitative entries of the choral movement “For unto us a child is born” did the timing feel a tiny bit precarious.
It was also good to see the Distinguished Concerts Orchestra onstage again. The opening Overture found the orchestra favoring warmth and lyricism over stateliness. Though one is used to perhaps more crispness from them (especially in the lower strings), Maestro Griffith held the reins well.
The soloists were excellent, as usual. Tenor Chad Kranak, whom this listener had not heard before, stood out in “Comfort ye my people” for a sound that was full enough to soar over the orchestra but always warm and mellow. One especially admired how, even through the extended melismas of “Ev’ry valley shall be exalted” his pitch was always centered and true.
Bass-baritone Christopher Job delivered his formidable recitatives arias with the penetrating sound one recalls from prior performances, but some of his best lyricism came through in “But who may abide the day of his coming?” – and his lowest notes in “The people that walked in darkness” were especially impressive. In parts of these movements, one of Handel’s own more spare versions may have been easier for vocal soloists to cut through than this fuller Mozart instrumentation, but the singers managed to meet the demands.
Mezzo-soprano Holly Sorenson, whom one has admired in prior DCINY performances, brought her vibrant sound most notably to “Behold, a virgin shall conceive.” It is one of the untold challenges of oratorios that often a soloist will need to sit still onstage for half an hour or longer before uttering their first sounds, with any warm-ups they have done beforehand becoming a distant memory. Sometimes, because of this waiting, one can detect a hesitancy at the openings of such solos – but not here. Ms. Sorenson was strong, assured, and persuasive from the start. Similarly, there is a special place in Valhalla for any Messiah solo soprano, whose first recitative comes after sitting onstage for the better part of an hour. The soprano in this performance was Penelope Shumate who, when it was finally time to stand, delivered several outstanding performances, starting with “There were shepherds abiding in the field. ” Not surprisingly she gained in ease as she continued, and “He shall feed his flock” was both musically and physically expressive, settling into a joyous calm.
The irresistible movement for many, of course, is the famous Hallelujah Chorus, and it did not disappoint. The audience seemed to include some Messiah veterans, who immediately stood for it, honoring the tradition established by King George II in London in 1743. There is little that can approach the musical and spiritual jubilation of this moment, so one can only hope that each audience member carries that energy forward to share somehow with the very needful world.
As a critic wrote in 1742 at Messiah‘s Dublin premiere, “Words are wanting to express the exquisite delight that it afforded the crowded and admiring audience.” That crowd was 700 people – and this weekend, 281 years later, Carnegie Hall held the cheering of what was easily several times that number. My advice to audiences for next holiday season 2024: book your tickets to DCINY’s Messiah as soon as they are out – word spreads fast, and you might miss your chance!
