Music Reviews : Hogwood Leads L.A. Philharmonic, Master Chorale

In a performance that decidedly had its ups and downs, soprano Sylvia McNair provided the only consistently satisfying artistry Wednesday night when Christopher Hogwood conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic in a program titled “Feste Italiane.”

Authentic performance practice, for which Hogwood is justifiably renowned, took a back seat to hit-and-miss mixtures of the modern and ancient as far as recapturing the sound--and spirit--of Vivaldi and his immediate predecessors.

The singing of McNair insured a memorable evening, however, whenever the program enlisted her formidable talents. The night began promisingly enough with Vivaldi’s “Lauda Jerusalem,” in which the audience saw and heard double. As the work is written for two sopranos, two choruses and double string orchestra, Hogwood’s glib remark that “the unusual arrangement of the forces represent the first true early stereo” were borne out in a well-matched reading. McNair’s contributions were equaled by Judith Nelson.

The Concerto in D for trumpet and string orchestra by Torelli was satisfying as well, and featured clear and ringing soloism from Donald Green.

The course of events continued to build in excitement in a Vivaldi motet, “Nulla in mundo pax sincera.” McNair exhibited a flexibility and ease in all registers, fluidity in the florid recitative and deft control in the predominantly soft “Alleluja.” But, for the first time the question of authenticity was raised: Would the performance have been even more effective with original string instruments?

More basic questions were asked before intermission, however, as the “Winter” movement from Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” left the audience cold. Giving the impression that the piece was underrehearsed, Philharmonic violinist Tamara Chernyak offered playing that at times was on thin ice.

Corelli’s Concerto Grosso in G Minor (“Christmas” Concerto) did much to restore order and faith in our regulars, due in no small part to the consistently suave playing of concertmaster Sidney Weiss. Here Hogwood used the modern instruments to full advantage, producing warm and rich ensemble.

When Vivaldi’s Gloria in D was all sung and done it was, in retrospect, a patchwork of truly glorious movements with others that raised still more nagging questions about a middle-of-the-road approach to authenticity in Baroque music. While the balances sounded correct, one couldn’t help but wonder why any conductor using modern forces wouldn’t employ all the power at his disposal. Fortunately, McNair provided more moments to remember fondly. And in the final two choruses, the Los Angeles Master Chorale anchored the strongest collective efforts of the night.