Review: Messiah's mixed offering memorable

Messiah by Handel
Hastings Choral Society
St Matthew's Church
Sunday, Nov 28, 2pm
Handel's Messiah is a work which is profound and complex, and the beauty of the settings for soloists, chorus and orchestra guarantee the performers and audience a memorable experience.
Yesterday, the Hastings Choral Society's performance drew a near capacity audience to St Matthew's Church in Hastings.
Four soloists are required and it was particularly pleasing to hear Grant Dickson, bass, who has returned to New Zealand after an illustrious career overseas. His musicality was evident in shaping of phrases and in nuances in diction. He achieved a dramatic climax to his performance in The trumpet shall sound accompanied by a sensitive and always well articulated obligato from Christopher Redfern-Wilson. By a trick of nature at the moment of this solo, Grant was bathed in sunlight through the church window, which gave the words special significance.
Soprano Ileana Otto-Johansen also gave an assured and stylistic performance of solos requiring a mix of vocal flexibility and poignancy. Similarly, Chris Berentson, revealed a suitable declamatory style in his tenor solos, with a pleasing tone throughout the register. Garalynne Binford showed good understanding of the role of the alto soloist in reflective style, but diction was often problematic.
For the choir, 16 choruses provided a challenge, and inevitably some were more successful than others. There was better attack in those where the four parts began together, with Surely He hath borne our grief and Since by man came death outstanding in dramatic impact.
The accompaniment by string orchestra throughout, led by Norma Smith, was sensitive and underpinned by excellent keyboard continuo from Colleen Rae-Gerrard on forte-piano. The more astringent tone of the harpsichord would perhaps have been more effective in the acoustic of St Matthews.
For Joe Christensen, director, this performance was a culmination of much planning and rehearsal, and reflected his musicianship and commitment.