MUSIC REVIEW : Pacific Chorale Sings Handel’s ‘Messiah’ at Center

A stereotypically happy “Messiah” audience would be on its feet before the three-measure introduction to the “Hallelujah!” chorus has elapsed, honoring the 2-century-old tradition of standing during this rousing piece.

Monday night at Orange County Performing Arts Center, the Pacific Chorale and Pacific Symphony had gotten through 10 exclamations of “Hallelujah!” before everyone was standing. No slight either to Handel or timeworn custom, this sluggishness by the public was a metaphor for the performance it was witnessing.

“Messiah” does not play itself. This reading, which began as if on automatic pilot, didn’t get off the ground until midway into Part II. Though more than mere time-beating, John Alexander’s conducting seemed less alert than his norm, as if he believed that the assembled forces knew the oratorio so well that special consideration was unnecessary.

The orchestra was slow to recover from ragged attacks in the opening Sinfonia. Its eventual rhythmic responsiveness was offset by inflexibility in dynamics. A general torpor characterized quiet moments. The “Pastoral Symphony” interlude proved more sedative than bucolic.

The chorale itself was equally slow in warming to the more subtle aspects of its task. Only the sopranos satisfied in the important instances where less is more. Their soft, high unison work in “And he shall purify” and “His yoke is easy” delighted.

The men produced strained, diffuse sound at anything less than forte . However, the hushed, superbly expressive “Since man came by death” showed the Pacific Chorale at its estimable best.

Soprano Virginia Sublett’s pure, radiant sound (a bit weak on the bottom), scrupulous musicianship and palpable identification with what she was singing appealed greatly, indistinct enunciation notwithstanding.

Jonathan Mack sang with authority, though his tenor emerged effortful and slightly unsteady. In “Ev’ry valley,” the rough places were not made plain, while in “Thou shalt break them,” he interpolated several more high A’s than he could comfortably hoist.

Jacalyn Bower handled the limiting, power-and-range disguising alto solos with relatively firm tone and few of the gear-shifting problems so common to it.

Louis Lebherz’s free, round basso seems one voice; his baritonal top--which can open to a splendid ring or squeeze shut, depending on vowel and musical moment--seems another. He won decibel honors; Mack enunciated best. Only Sublett approached ease with either fast notes or ornamentation.

Cuts were standard, but one did miss the middle section and reprise of “The trumpet shall sound.”