CSULB’s
combined choirs deliver great performance
at Terrace Theater
By Bradley Zint
Online Forty-Niner
Opinion Editor
Long Beach’s beautiful venue on Ocean Boulevard, the Terrace Theater, hosted
a variety of musicians Saturday night, including a few of Cal State Long Beach’s
choral ensembles.
The 49er Chorus and University Choir, under the direction of CSULB music faculty
members Jonathan Talberg and Leland Vail, played alongside the professional Long
Beach Symphony Orchestra for an evening of enjoyable music.
The University Brass Quintet performed in the lobby before the concert officially
started, and through its final selected snippet from “West Side Story,” they
gave a brief preview more Leonard Bernstein music to come.
The first selection was Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Toccata and Fugue
in D Minor,” orchestrated by Leopold Stokowski.
This selection, made famous by Walt Disney’s first “Fantasia” film
and as a tune synonymous with haunted houses, started a bit rough but eventually
picked up and displayed considerable individual virtuosity from the players.
It was a nice reminder of how much better Bach’s work is when orchestrated
with instrumental color rather than the constant pounding of an organ.
The second selection, Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms,” was
an inspiring three-movement work that featured both the orchestra and CSULB choirs.
The entire piece was performed in Hebrew.
What is amazing about great works of art like Bernstein’s “Psalms” is
that although most of us cannot understand the spoken words, the emotions conveyed
through simply listening to the music is enough to arouse a reaction. We cannot
understand what is being said but can still appreciate the universal emotions.
Such musical success is attributable to the combined talents of the orchestra
and choirs. The CSULB choirs demonstrated a mastery of vocal talents, from celebratory
melodies to somber ruminations.
Also of note was the 12-year-old tenor soloist, Justin K. Filbrich, whose singing
with the harps in the second movement was beautiful.
The rest of the second movement had many wonderful passages of tense beauty resting
on minor chords, all of which were brilliantly executed by the orchestra’s
delicate string playing and harmonious vocal accompaniment. The third movement’s
seamless fluidity between the orchestra and vocals was also impressive as each
shared renditions of the variations.
Following the intermission was a performance of one of the most popular symphonies
of all time, Gustav Holst’s “The Planets,” a monumental seven-movement
work that uses an expanded orchestra and offstage women’s choir.
Conductor Enrique Arturo Diemecke gave an interesting interpretation of the symphony
film composer John Williams used as inspiration for his equally monumental “Star
Wars” score.
The first movement, “Mars: The Bringer of War” had crisp playing
with good orchestral dynamics, enough so that after the loud forte ending, a
few audience members broke a long-standing rule of symphony listening.
Audience members clapped between movements. Some even gave a little hoot because
they enjoyed the music that much.
This archaic tradition is outdated and ridiculous. The rule dates back to prickly
listeners who felt inter-clapping interrupted the symphony’s collective
sentiment. If people enjoy a movement, let them clap.
By getting rid of such traditions, perhaps symphonies would not seem so prudish
and more commonplace among even the non-musically educated.
The fourth movement, “Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity” through Diemecke’s
tempo was occasionally too slow, but eventually picked up enough speed to be
joyous enough and ended with magnificent volume.
" The most energetic playing of the evening came during the sixth movement, “Uranus:
The Magician.” Diemecke became a magician himself and led a very magical,
rousing and brisk rendition of Holst’s work.
The final movement for the mystical planet Neptune used the CSULB women’s
choir offstage and had a great overall effect.
Plaudits go to all performers of the evening. Singers from The Beach and members
of the Long Beach Symphony
Orchestra delivered a grand performance, euphonious and to high a caliber of
outstanding musicianship.
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