Sunday, Sept. 15th, 2024
Music & Artistic Director: Rita Paczian
Gina Sanders Soprano 1
Emma Jones Soprano 2
Ridge Ponini Tenor
For their 3rd Town Hall concert in 2024, Bach Musica NZ turned to the German composer Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. Mendelssohn was born into an affluent family, to parents who fully supported the arts and music. Their social life included friendships to famous artists, composers and scientists of the time, who provided much encouragement to the promising young Mendelssohn’s artistic ambitions.
Mendelssohn’s music demonstrates jubilant exuberance, soulful calm and insightful romanticism and he is now universally admired as a leading figure of the romantic area. His productive life, full of versatile creativity (even including the immortal Christmas Hymn “Hark! The Herald Angels sing!”) was regrettably cut short by his early death, at an age of only 38.
Initially brought up outside any religion, Mendelssohn later fully embraced the Christian faith and the music of J.S. Bach. Both inclinations find their deep expression in his Symphony No. 2, Hymn of Praise op. 52, the centrepiece of Bach Musica NZ’s 3rd 2024-concert.
Introduced by the orchestra’s three authoritative trombones and Bach Musica NZ chorus’ motivated and powerful attack in the original German language, the initial, forceful and overriding signal for the entire work seemed to be: “Alles was Odem hat, lobe den Herrn (Let everything, which has breath, praise the Lord)!” This was immediately followed by soprano soloist Gina Sanders’ commanding interaction with the energetic chorus in “Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele (Praise the Lord, my Soul)!”
After this high-octane beginning, Ridge Ponini’s assured and resonant tenor voice in the recitative “Sagt es, die ihr erloeset seid (Say it! You, who are redeemed)” and aria “Er zaehlet unsre Traenen (He counts our tears)” provided some momentary calm and reflection – his words sensibly and understandably repeated by a well-disposed chorus.
The soprano’s and chorus’ jubilant announcement: “Die Nacht ist vergangen (The night has passed)!” was followed by one of the most noble and soulful highlights of the concert: the choral “Nun danket alle Gott (Now let all thank God)!” that Mendelssohn borrowed from his revered master, J.S. Bach. This was reverently and soulfully performed by a devoted chorus, demonstrating highest musical intelligence.
Accomplished soprano Gina Sanders, with her powerful and impeccably phrased voice, was a perfect vehicle for Mendelssohn’s artistic versatility and drama – at times literally immersing herself in Mendelssohn’s music with complete passion. She was well-supported by second soprano Emma Jones who added depth and beauty to the soulful soprano-duet and chorus “Ich harrete des Herrn (I waited for the Lord)!”
Ridge Ponini’s tenor-arias and duets with Gina Sanders were masterfully performed. Ponini convincingly demonstrated drama and soulfulness with an authoritative and cultivated voice.
With his proven artistic leadership, Bach Musica NZ orchestra’s concertmaster, Yanghe Yu, once again presented an infectious and passionate orchestra, willingly and skilfylly following the intense and energetic baton of Bach Musica NZ’s Maestra, Rita Paczian – once again at her creative best! An evening of overwhelming and glorious music-making!
Rainer W. Buhmann