OTTO TAUSK’S QUEST FOR AUTHENTIC STYLE PAYS DIVIDENDS IN MOZART’S REQUIEM AND SCHUBERT

Nathalie Paulin (soprano), Krisztina Szabó (mezzo-soprano), Josh Lovell (tenor), Philippe Sly (bass-baritone), UBC Choirs (dir. Graeme Langager), Vancouver Symphony Orchestra/ Otto Tausk: Music of Schubert and Mozart, Orpheum, November 23, 2019.

Otto Tausk has shown a definite affinity for the Viennese Classics in his short tenure with the VSO, giving well-disciplined and historically-informed readings of Mozart’s last three symphonies and Beethoven’s 7th. To these must now be added Mozart’s Requiem and Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony, both of which received precise, articulate performances that aimed at an authentic instrumental scale. The Requiem turned out to be a bit of a hybrid though: rather than using a period choir of 20-40 voices alongside the reduced orchestration, the estimable UBC chorus of a full 150 members was enlisted, giving a glimpse of the 19th century too. Nonetheless, the excellence of the soloists and the flexible, responsive contribution from the orchestra turned out to be major virtues, with the large choir at its best when adding weight and visceral charge at key moments. The orchestra also seemed to relish the lyricism and warmth of the Schubert symphony, offering passages of considerable beauty, though dramatic contrasts were relatively understated. The performance was a creditable one, perhaps stressing the classical side of Schubert’s character more than his romantic side.

One intrigue of the Mozart Requiem was Maestro Tausk’s seating arrangement. The basset horns and bassoons were placed on either side of the conductor (in front of the first violins and second violins, respectively), the timpani immediately next to the trumpets, and each of the three trombones (alto, tenor and bass) positioned directly in front of the corresponding section of the chorus. The gain in precision was considerable: the woodwinds were able to project their lines without strain, the trumpets and kettledrums functioned as a tightly-knit unit throughout, and the trombones added a much-needed definition to the vocal parts. Though modern instruments were used, elements of 18th century performance practice were noticeable, including brisk, flowing tempi, sparing use of vibrato, crisp articulation and a reduced number of strings. The orchestra played with admirable clarity and discipline, and provided sensitive accompaniment in the solo vocal numbers of ‘Tuba mirum’, ‘Recordare’ and ‘Benedictus’.

The quartet of soloists were excellent, well-matched vocally, exhibiting period style and working as a unified team. Soprano Nathalie Paulin and mezzo Krisztina Szabó are already very well regarded in the Baroque repertoire, while tenor Josh Lovell and bass-baritone Philippe Sly are two of Canada’s most perceptive young vocalists. The soloists delivered their parts with a noble simplicity and were always alert to each other’s enunciation, phrasing and ornamentation. This ensured a miraculously tight cohesion in the ensemble passages.

It is always redeeming to see a large university choir singing their hearts out – and ‘hats off’ to Graeme Langager for producing such an inspired group – but this need not always fit with the somberness and intimacy of this work, or the transparency of its design. To be sure, the UBC choir was well-drilled and enthusiastic and they delivered some moments of thrilling sonic grandeur in the ‘Dies irae’ and ‘Rex tremendae’. Yet much of the time they tended to overpower the instruments. Furthermore, given Maestro Tausk’s nimble tempi, it was scarcely realistic to think that a choir of 150 voices could keep unanimity and cohesion at these speeds. The quicker fugal sections (‘Kyrie eleison’ and ‘Quam olim Abrahae’) were often opaque and the sixteenth-note motion lacked definition. Indeed, even in the slower imitative passages, such as the opening Requiem aeternam and elsewhere, it was difficult to hear all the contrapuntal strands or the words of the text. Still, if one wasn’t too fussy, the choral singing made its effect. However, it seems strangely counterproductive to work so hard to secure transparency orchestrally and then to remove it through the large choir. UBC might think about forming a smaller chamber choir.

Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony used a slightly bigger orchestra than the Mozart, but still smaller than normal. It began with beautifully hushed low strings, and it is a pity that this effect was not recaptured at the repeat of the exposition. Schubert scored the first theme of the Allegro moderato for the unusual duo of solo oboe and solo clarinet, his intent being to create a new woodwind timbre from the seamless combination of these two instruments. Here, the results came close to achieving the desired effect, but the tone of the oboe was a little too thick. The second theme was played with great beauty of tone and breadth of line by the cellos and violins, and the imitative development of this theme secured a sureness of rhythm and crispness of attack that led the music forward. With the conductor’s emphasis on tightness of ensemble and dynamic restraint, it was the ‘classical’ strengths of the movement that stood out: a sense of ethereal space and mystery only registered tangentially. In fact, only at the beginning of the Andante con moto did Maestro Tausk permit any relaxation of tempo but, even here, the speed picked up again and remained taut to the end of the movement.

The climaxes in both movements were full and resonant, and free of bombastic brass or coarseness of string tone, but did not have the threatening emotional immediacy that some conductors have found. Perhaps greater attention to the softer moments would have set these dynamic peaks into sharper relief. For example, at the centre of the first movement’s development section, there are a series of aggressive and dissonant tutti chords alternating with gentle syncopations in the flutes and clarinets; however, the VSO winds never quite achieved the soft volumes required. In the second movement, the music is gradually becalmed at the end of the development section in preparation for the magical return of the opening theme. The drooping two-note calls in the woodwinds and horn should sound mysterious and remote, as if coming from a great distance, but here again the sound never fell below a mezzo-piano level, and the impression was more earthbound than ethereal. One might have asked for more character and dynamic contrast in Tausk’s approach but, at the same time, one never doubted his sense of direction.

Qualifications aside, the virtue of this outing lay in observing Maestro Tausk’s commitment to stylistic authenticity and transparent orchestral execution, and the new perspectives on Mozart and Schubert performance revealed thereby. The VSO played particularly well, the singing of the soloists in the Mozart was a special joy, and it is always a pleasure to have the participation of  the UBC choir.

© Nicolas Krusek 2019