Music Reviews : Frankfurter Kantorei in U.S. Debut

Bach’s passions are potent combinations of story-telling and liturgy, in a sort of musical readers theater format. They demand dramatic commitment rather than conventional religiosity, not to mention a daunting mixture of musical finesse and fervor.

Sunday evening the Frankfurter Kantorei provided secure, expressive vocalism on behalf of the “St. John” Passion, for the Los Angeles Bach Festival at First Congregational Church. Director Wolfgang Schafer led his singers--in their United States debut--and the resident festival orchestra in a swift, compelling reading.

Schafer’s vision of the work relied on quick, fluent dialogue and narration, and the immediate involvement of the chorus, not only in the crowd scenes, but in the reflective chorales as well. There was little sense of detachment here, with everyone reacting as if the passion events were actually unfolding on the spot.

In that, Schafer had the crucial advantage of well-drilled, thoroughly accomplished singers. His large chorus--formerly conducted by Helmuth Rilling, and perhaps best known here for recent recordings with Eliahu Inbal and the Frankfurt Radio Symphony--sang vigorously, alert to his demands for phrasing nuances and clearly accustomed to his startling spasms of two-handed subdivision, which looked like a parody of a Benihana chef.

Markus Schafer--no relation to the conductor--added the tenor arias to the marathon narrative duties of the Evangelist. In the only cut, his great central “Erwage” aria was abridged, and he wavered some in “Ach, mein Sinn,” but his voice still sounded clear and firm at the end of the work, and he communicated readily throughout.

Baritone Klaus Mertens sang the bass arias and the roles of Peter and Pilate with vocal amplitude and expressive conviction. Bass Friedemann Kunder sang the recitatives of Jesus with resonant authority.

Mezzo Claudia Schubert brought the utmost poignancy to “Es ist vollbracht,” with a smooth, agile voice unafflicted by register breaks and a natural sensitivity unmarred by expressive mannerisms. Soprano Christine Schafer provided a bright, nimble voice, and maintained the prevailing high standards of telling detail.

This was not a performance particularly haunted by period imperatives, although it was clearly informed by ample scholarship. Ornamentation beyond the wealth provided by the composer was discreet, and conductor Schafer was clearly content with his big choir and band of modern instruments.

At the center of the work, though, the pacing of the drama ground to a halt while the inner circle of strings shuffled seats, and principal violist Roland Kato and concertmaster Ralph Morrison picked up violas d’amore for “Betrachte, meine Seel’ .” After taking this incongruous step towards authenticity, the continuo was then transfered from the original lute to harpsichord.

The orchestra, filled with Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra veterans, played handsomely and heatedly for Schafer. There were patches of misintonation, and balances and tempos frequently took a while to stabilize. But the players adopted Schafer’s phrasing and articulation readily, supporting the dramatic thrust of his interpretation with skill and elan.