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Fifty Years Younger New York
Zankel Hall, Carnegie Hall
06/03/2025 -
Antonio Vivaldi: In mundo pax sincera, RV 130 – Nisi Dominus, RV 608
Johann Sebastian Bach: Psalm 51 “Tilge, Höchster, meine Sünden”, BWV 1083
Gemma Nha (Soprano), Reginald Mobley (Countertenor)
Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Lionel Meunier (Conductor)
R. Mobley, G. Nha, L. Meunier (© Samuel A. Dog)
“I have always kept one end in view: To conduct my church music in the honor of God.”
Johann Sebastian Bach
“If God blesses us, we may make a profit. And a considerable one at that.”
Antonio Vivaldi
After their first 50 years, the Orchestra of St. Luke’s (the name comes from their initial church performance) is more golden than ever. Last night’s concerts may have had a few defects. But the orchestra strings themselves, under the baton-less speedy tempi of Lionel Meunier, radiated. Whether a duet for viola, cello and soprano, or the fervent contrapuntal lines of Bach’s Stabat Mater, this was playing both amiable and animated.
One unexpected section is commonplace today. But a half‑century ago, few ensembles would balance Bach with Vivaldi.
The latter was reputed for, yes, Four Seasons and Gloria. But most ensembles believed Stravinsky’s adage that he wrote the same piece over and over again.
The dam broke with Cecilia Bartoli’s recording of Vivaldi’s arias (they still make my hair stand on end), and listening to a pair of Vivaldi’s Biblical settings showed just how inventive he was.
Well, almost. The opening motet, Vivaldi’s There is no peace without bitterness, has a soprano solo which is not only ceaseless but examines the highest range. Soprano Gemma Nha had no problems in that range, but here, she lacked color, her voice was pure‑toned with little Baroque vibrato. Listening, one imagined that he wrote it for one of his prize students in his Ospedale della Pietà.
Ms. Nha showed a greater artistry in the evening’s second half, but here one heard a pleasant voice with little breadth.
That was contrasted immediately by counter-tenor Reginald Mobley in Vivaldi’s setting of Psalm 127. Written originally for alto and string orchestra, it was probably originally a counter‑tenor, and Mr. Mobley sung the part not only with assurance, but with breadth, emotion, faultless melismas and an emotional grasp of the emotional words.
The nine movements included an unearthly “For he gives his beloved sleep” and a splendid extended vocal line is other movements. Yet one shouldn’t pick this or that section. It was a broad extrovert performance with little subtlety but an abundance of rich resonance.
The second half was an aberration. Bach the stern Lutheran German, took the elegant Stabat Mater of that eternally youthful (he died at 26) Italian Catholic Giovanni Pergolesi, changed the Latin to Deutsch, and created his own version.
(Of course the 18th Century had no copyright laws. Minor composers took it as a compliment that Master Bach made a “parody” of their creations.)
G. Nha/R. Mobley (© https://www.gemmanha.com/Richard Dumas)
This was a four-part delight. Conductor Lionel Meunier took the work as a brisk pace, with rare undue solemnity. The OSL sounds were less thick Bach than light‑hearted Italian. Mr. Mobley was fine in his solos and duets.
Even more gratifying was Ms. Nha, her range much lower (almost a contralto), and her frequent duets with Mr. Mobley. With all the ornamentation and fluttering vibrato and long lines, this was Bach in his happiest mood. He kept the original Pergolesi, but added dances, a Handelian final Amen, and of course the duets in thirds–which could have come from Richard Strauss’s “parody” of the 18th Century, Rosenkavalier.
This was a second half which breathed...shall we say musical contentment? That doesn’t sound right. Let’s say it was the joy of hearing splendid musicians playing notes from a most bountiful Baroque.
Harry Rolnick
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