MUSIC REVIEWS : HANDEL’S ‘MESSIAH’ AT THE PAVILION

Russell Lawrence Fox signaled clear intentions of offering a stylish performance of Handel’s “Messiah” when he conducted the Southern California Mormon Choir and Master Symphony on Saturday in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. But complete success eluded him.

Following period practice, Fox utilized a 24-member orchestra at both full and small ensemble force, the latter to accompany soloists. But in matters of bowing, he accepted a compromise--short, detached phrasing but frequent legato lines as well. He generally favored brisk tempos but also permitted anachronistically romantic cadential ritardandos.

Sadly, the strings--the bulk of the orchestra--suffered uncharacteristic problems, virtually losing their place in “Behold, and see” and disagreeing on matters of unity and impulse elsewhere.

To balance the large choral force (109 voices) against the small orchestra, Fox relied on dampened-down dynamics, but let energy and force finally flourish in “Hallelujah” and “Worthy Is the Lamb.”

The solo quartet--soprano Joan Zajac, mezzo-soprano Carla Wood, tenor Al Morris and bass Bryan Wood--ventured discreet embellishment on the repeats and the cadences, but Zajac could be signaled out for most expressive effects. Still, virtually everyone--including the chorus--could have conveyed greater insight into the meaning of the words.