Music and Dance Reviews : William Hall Chorale Finale in Pasadena

Bach’s “St. Matthew Passion” ends with a chorus of weeping at the sepulcher of Christ. There were no tears--but perhaps there ought to have been--when the William Hall Chorale closed its 33rd and final season with the work Sunday at the Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

The Hall Chorale will now be dissolved and merged with the Costa Mesa-based Master Chorale of Orange County, which Hall also directs. Run-out concerts are promised--”We’ll be back,” said founding music director Hall at the close. But it won’t be the same.

On the basis of the Sunday concert, the demise of Hall’s group will leave a mighty vacuum.

At approximately 90 singers (subdivided into choruses of 60 and 30), the Chorale remained a marvel to hear--offering sonorous, even and richly nourished vocalism.

Hall conducted with verve and purpose, and steered an intelligent middle course between demands of period authenticity and expansive expression. He made the Crucifixion scene the musical--as well as the liturgical--heart of the work.

Michael Sells made a reasonably ardent Evangelist as long as the vocal line did not ascend too high, which of course it did frequently. Robin Buck was a strong-voiced, sympathetic Jesus. Neither made ideal use of Bach’s chromaticisms for expressive word pointing.

The quartet of soloists included soprano Patricia Prunty, mezzo-soprano Debbie Cree, tenor Steven Dunham and bass Louis Lebherz.

The pick-up orchestra of about 35 members played with vibrant style.

The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus assisted.

On to Orange County.