MUSIC REVIEW : Brahms Mastery Demonstrated Anew by William Hall, Chorale

Adamantly optimistic and stubbornly joyous, Brahms’ “Ein Deutsches Requiem” sometimes embarrasses listeners expecting to find moroseness in a work supposedly honoring the dead.

The true Brahmsian, however, recognizes the sadness as well as the life-affirmation in the pastoral, rather than vehement, beauties created by the composer. There may be more comfort in positive contemplation than in violent breast-beating.

William Hall long ago proved his worth as a Brahmsian. He showed it again when he conducted the Master Chorale of Orange County, a splendid ad-hoc orchestra and two accomplished soloists in the Requiem Friday night at the Orange County Performing Arts Center.

The probity and eloquence of Hall’s deliberate, highly detailed and contrast-filled performance made the familiar masterwork glow with intensity. He chose slow tempos, then illuminated the words, caressed the longer line and produced what seemed an ineluctable musical statement.

Central to this performance, of course, was the firm achievement of the 165-plus members of the Master Chorale, a group which makes handsome, expressive and sometimes textually sensitive sounds but remains underpowered in vocal thrust. As far as they go, the sopranos compete thoroughly in quality and ability with their colleagues in comparable organizations; one would ask only for a little more of the same.

Still, the religious heart of the work, and its emotional scope, emerged in every movement--most touchingly in the finale, wherein all the power and sincerity of Brahms’ deep fervor reach their cumulative climax. Without seeming in any sense forced, all elements of this performance rose to that thrilling moment.

On the way, there were smaller, effective peaks. Though he seemed to tire vocally at this point, baritone Rodney Gilfry achieved one of those dramatic places in the chilling sixth movement. And Ruth Golden, in resplendent voice, gave full musical impetus to the deceptively unshowy but highly exposed soprano solo at “Ihr habt nun Traurigkeit.”

Polished and attentive playing characterized the consistent contributions of the full-voiced, 63-member orchestra.