New York Times critic Anthony Tommasini recently ranked the top 10 composers of all time, and while many might disagree with the rankings, you would be hard pressed to find anyone arguing his No. 1 pick: Johann Sebastian Bach.
If Tommasini had taken his exercise further and ranked the Top 10 classical works of all time, surely Bach's Mass in B minor would win.
The Tucson Chamber Artists made a persuasive argument to that end Friday night when they performed it for a sold-out audience at Green Valley's St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church.
Under the direction of TCA's founder and music director, Eric Holtan, the B Minor Mass exuded all the mystique and exhilaration that has earned it a formidable reputation as one of music's greatest works.
This was the biggest undertaking in the professional choir's seven-year history: 26 vocalists and 24 instrumentalists - many of them spilling over into a space adjoining the stage, unseen by the audience but heard for all their splendid glory.
The vocals soared, particularly when Holtan singled out one voice to one part. The technique, which is fairly common these days in performing Bach's Mass, creates a sonic layer that goes from one voice to another - alto starts, then is joined by soprano, tenor, baritone. The voices build on themselves until the entire coterie of singers joins in to create this amazing and beautiful wall of sound. But among all those joined voices, you can still pick out the soloists.
And what fine soloists - sopranos Erika Burkhart, Kathryn Mueller and Rachel Carson; mezzos Helen Karloski, Naomi DeVries Pomerantz and Thea Lobo; tenors Jeffrey Manns and Owen McIntosh; bass David Farwig; and lyric baritone Bryan Van Gelder.
This was a choir that was not only well-prepared for this undertaking, but digging it like a rock star playing their biggest hit before screaming fans. Some of the singers swayed to the music; other seemed to rock on the balls of their feet. It was a joy to watch them having so much fun.
Holtan drew wonderful playing from his chamber orchestra, under the leadership of concertmaster Aaron Boyd. In his short tenure with the TCA, Boyd has brought a passionate dynamic to the ensemble which on Friday resulted in a performance that was nothing less than inspired. The orchestra was every bit a voice in Bach's Mass as the choir.
Review
Tucson Chamber Artists presented Bach's B Minor Mass Friday night at Green Valley's St. Francis in the Valley Episcopal Church. The performance repeats at 2 p.m. Sunday at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St. 401-2651.
