I know, I used the same pun, sorry. But this one kind of sucked out my creative juices. I realized before going in that the concert, Handel’s Messiah, was about Jesus, but since it was near the holidays, I thought it would be more like a happy Christmas story. Instead, I spent three hours listening about how Christ died for our sins. Kind of depressing.
Now don’t get me wrong. The performers were absolutely fantastic; the content was boring. Both the orchestra and the choir displayed an incredible amount of talent, passion, and listening. Harmonies were perfect, timing was sharp and precise, and the overall performance was beautiful. But a giant choir dressed all in black singing to you about the downfall of sinners and resurrection of Christ the lord is one of the most oddly terrifying experiences that I’ve ever had. I realize that they’re not Westboro Baptist Church, but certain moments of the night gave me chills.
Another problem with Handel’s “masterpiece” was that lines were repeated over and over and over again. It lacked in content. A full three hours of lyrics would fit in half of a Microsoft Word Page, all of which were different verses from the Bible (something that I thought was a great idea and if it had been executed well than it would be a wonderfully creative piece).
To shine a better light on the concert, please click this for an informational video
I had never been inside Hill Auditorium before, but I gotta’ say, I’m impressed. It is one of the most incredible concert halls that I’ve ever seen. I just looked up and soaked it all in with my mouth open. And the acoustics are unbelievable. I think that you could probably stand on the stage and clap and people in the balcony would hear it. The sounds were that clear. Which brings me to the best part of the concert. The soloists. More specifically, Mr. Anthony Costanzo.
Mr. Anthony Costanzo…The most dreamy voice, and the cutest face, Anthony achieves the highest octaves and perfectly delivers each note like a letter in a mail slot, easy and perfect. His dynamics were fantastic and he has obviously been training his vibrato since he was quite young. What makes Costanzo stick out among the other three soloists is his surprisingly high range. I also want to compliment the amazing choir looming behind them and the talented orchestra surrounding them. All of the performers brilliantly follow the Grammy winning conductor Jerry Blackstone.
This link goes to a fantastic sample of Costanzo’s voice.
For those that are like me and are unacquainted with Handel’s Messiah, I’m sure that you would recognize one piece in it. “The Halleluiah Chorus.” The audience was invited to join in the rejoicing, but it was really just nice to hear the song.
So overall, I wouldn’t suggest that you attend the Sunday Matinee performance (Sunday Afternoon, December 6, 2009 at 2:00 PM), unless of course you are a fan of this annual concert. I feel as if I wasted three hours and next time I will go to a 58 Greene or Dicks&Janes concert. It was an interesting experience, but I think that it was the wrong thing for me.
This is my first bad review, and it’s hard to post it, but you gotta’ do what you gotta’ do.
Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer
I wouldn’t call this a bad review. In fact, it’s not really a review at all. More like honest commentary from a particular perspective – a perspective not sullied by preparation or previous experience of what is claimed by the viewer to be a “masterpiece.” (How does he know?) Sometimes that kind of perspective can give a kick in the butt to established or presumed processes when it comes to performance. On the other hand, that same naïve approach would usually be more expected from a child. So should all art be required to stand up to the simple scrutiny of child-like innocence? That might eliminate quite a number of works that one might grow to appreciate. Still, most children with an ounce of intellectual curiosity will at least ask questions about things they haven’t seen before and might not understand. I would hope that this so-called review would not deter others from trying something at Hill Auditorium – say for example the monumental Berlioz Requiem being performed there this Friday. But at least Google the title and come with a clue about what is being offered. The sheer size of the work should impress – 4 brass groups in surround sound and one of the largest orchestras and choral groups ever used for anything. Google also Berlioz’ use of controlled substance…
Thanks for posting this, I enjoyed the read
Thanks. I listened to some of your music on http://www.youtube.com and I think you’re brilliant. Have you ever thought of performing at the U of M? I’d love to see you live!