By Comic and classic songs were performed by the 49er Chorus on Saturday night at Gerald Daniel Recital Hall.
The 70-person vocal arrangement was joined by a 17-person orchestra and a harpsichord. The big chorus and stereo arrangement of the string section created a large and epic sound, as Collegium conductor Roger Hickman guided the chorus and orchestra through one of the more popular pieces by Italian composer Antonio Vivaldi.
The Chorus performed Vivaldi’s “Gloria Rv. 598,” a 12-part praise that follows the structure of a traditional Latin mass. The piece was written by Vivaldi during an extensive period that he spent writing chorale and instrumental music for students of the “Ospedale Della Prieta,” a Venetian orphanage and music school for the illegitimate daughters of Venetian nobles. The piece was originally written for a girls’ chorus.
The Gloria ran the gamut of emotions. At first, the music was playful and uplifting and the chorus invoked the glory of god in rounds during the first part.
Later in the piece, elements of the chorus broke out for two duets and two solos, backed by the large chorus and orchestra. The solo that rang through seemed to fly, as they were elevated to new heights by the fantastic accompaniment.
But it was alto Nayasha Olmstead that commanded attention during her solo in the following aria. As the piece rose and fell, Olmstead, accompanied by the harpsichord, resisted the big chords of the orchestra, making the music wash to and fro, much like water flows, rushing first up one bank and then back to the other in graceful arcs.
The Gloria closed with “Cum Sancto Spiritum,” a piece of subtly different rounds that invoked the Holy Spirit. Whether the audience chose to believe in the Holy Spirit or not, it could certainly be felt as the loud chorus established a rhythm in the sound pressure levels of the room, causing people in the audience to unknowingly breathe in harmony with the chorale rounds and the gesticulations of the conductor.
To call this piece of music moving would do a disservice to its truly beautiful and awe-inspiring grandeur.
Following the assembly of the full chorus, the Men’s and Women’s choruses performed an eclectic assortment of smaller pieces.
The highlight of the women’s performance included the opening piece from Bulgarian tradition, “Ergen Dedo.” The piece was filled with small staccato notes that the young women had to time perfectly to achieve the right effect. There were some strange triplet break-ins in this piece that created tension, but somehow it did not lose steam and was playful and fun instead.
The night ended in hysterics as the Men’s chorus performed the John Williams tribute, “Star Wars (John Williams is the Man).” The lyrics were an oversimplified version of the “Star Wars” story, set to all pieces of music that were not in the films. The irony of the music, and the horseplay of the Men’s Chorus during its performance, was laugh-out-loud comedy.
For a listing of all Bob Cole Conservatory events, visit csulb.edu/colleges/cota/calendars/.
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