Bach’s St. Matthew Passion at the MSO

This difficult yet important 3+ hour piece is one of those works that one might only experience once or twice in their lifetime.

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Classical Music

WOW. Passion, indeed.

As we quickly approach the annual traditional Passion Week (Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday), many of us are reminded of the mournful ending to Jesus’ life, according to the book of Matthew. For those who observe this sepulchral Lenten time, some yearn to repent and atone for our misgivings and foibles throughout the year; some see it as a way to release bad habits and vices over the 40 days that no longer serve us. Some further their emotional and spiritual connection to Christianity and what it really means as a whole, not just the easy parts.

Personally, I can think of no better way to reflect and honor this time than to go and see a performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion, whomever is brave enough to tackle it these days. This difficult yet important 3+ hour piece is one of those works that one might only experience once or twice in their lifetime. As it was also Bach’s birthday, what a time to be in the audience for the MSO performance this past Saturday evening. From bass-baritone Tobias Berndt’s powerfully melancholy performance as Jesus, to baritone Sidney Outlaw’s commanding yet somber performance of Pontius Pilate, I found myself fully engulfed in the story as if it was the first time I was hearing it. I should mention that I have been a professional musician working for many different churches all over the greater Milwaukee area for 16 years now, so you can imagine how many ways I have heard this scripture told before. The story is told from the perspective of the narrator known as the Evangelist, performed in a sobering tone by tenor Patrick Grahl. The orchestra began with fervor and tenacity setting the tone beautifully.

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There was no spoken introduction to this performance, as the piece speaks for itself. Under the thoughtfully vivacious direction of the intrepid Maestro Ken-David Masur, the chorus entered with an equal amount of deliberate edge and immediacy. Watching every musician on that stage, including the children in the stage right choir loft, was like watching a miniature ballet in motion. There were small moments of physical movement and staging, including the chorus members who came out from the ensemble to the stage left choir loft to perform their solos as the disciples, and those who mocked and scorned Jesus as he slowly made his way to his crucifixion.

Phenomenal Job

Director Cheryl Frazes Hill received a very full applause at the end, and for very good reason: she did a phenomenal job in prepping the MSO Chorus, as she always does. Notable soloists from the chorus were the vibrant Matthew Hunt as Peter, and the emotive Matthew Seider as Judas. Both of them shared an equal amount of attention to the austere situations each disciple was faced with, making it very immersive for the audience as Peter denies and Judas betrays. Soprano Celena Shafer added her own emotive and grim tone to the performance with her aria “Blute nur, du liebes Herz,” sharing her beautiful straight-toned crescendos that blossomed splendidly. 

As Part I continued, the dual orchestras kept pace with ease under Maestro Masur, making sure to echo the heartache of each betrayal in an ominous way. In particular, the basso continuo was one of the soloists that instantly snatched up my attention, as she was able to perform it almost like a baroque rock star (a ba-rockque star?) Violinist Jinwoo Lee always has a way of making the violin look easy to play, with his undeniable emotive bowing and attention to detail. Furthermore, while the strings, organ and harpsichord kept the heartbeat of the tempo, the woodwinds had no issue taking over the spotlight when needed. The stunning Sonora Slocum made me feel as if the fabulous gold-hued flute she plays had a tiny light lyric soprano hidden inside of it … in my eyes, she is unparalleled and captivating. That being said, there were a few times that things seemed mildly out of sync with tempo between the orchestras and chorus, but overall, things were very polished and pristine. The Milwaukee Children’s Choir sounded like sweet cherubs as they sang along with the adults onstage, and I was thoroughly impressed with the work that director John Bragle did with them. What an undertaking!

To me, as much as I enjoyed each recitative and aria performed by the skilled soloists throughout the night, there was one standout artist for me: the heavenly mezzo-soprano Clara Osowski. Her rendition of “Buß und Reu” sent me to the most overwhelmingly funereal mindset, as she sings of the sorrow and repentance towards Jesus’ imminent demise. Many friends of mine who attended both nights of the performance were raving over her solemn “Erbarme dich”, and I don’t blame them: her voice is absolutely perfect for that aria. Listening to her dulcet, rich tones feels like drinking a warm cup of sweet mulled wine on a cold winter night, with just the right hint of longing and serious undertones. Her diction was so crisp that from the upper balcony where I was seated, I could understand each word in German as if I was sitting next to her on the stage. Fun fact: I was lucky enough to hear her perform this piece 11 years ago when she performed it with the Bel Canto Chorus of Milwaukee, and her “Ah, Golgotha!” was as poignant and powerful then as it is now. It always reduces me to tears, and it is a blessing to watch her shine. She is a treasure, and we are always lucky to have her here representing the Midwest.

Brooding Descent

Part II was the gruesome, brooding descent into the madness and chaos leading up to the crucifixion. The woes have accumulated, the humans have sinned, the angels have wept, and we finally see the untimely passing of Jesus, as Berndt thoughtfully closed his score to represent his finale. Outlaw made sure that his Pilate was still in a sense of unease and remorse for ending a life at the hands of sinners, and his tone was delicate yet full of ring and clarity. It was a delight to experience his silky baritone range in person; he pulled on my heartstrings. Grahl attended each passing recitative with pulse and a sense of sprechgesang at its finest and most polished level.

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At the end of the piece, there was a solid 10 seconds of silence, creating a thick air of subdued tension, and after Maestro was satisfied and raised his head, the audience erupted fervently into a rapture of applause and hollers for each person acknowledged. I was in good company clapping away for almost 8-10 minutes, feeling the wash of emotions ride through me as each rapid, pounding connection of my hands repeated, leaving the seat with my palms red and sore in the best way. In all honesty, I knew I was going to be in for a good show, but I was mostly impressed with how well everyone worked together as an overall team. I couldn’t help but be totally captivated most of the time visually by Maestro Masur, as his love for music was evident and infectious. I will happily find myself again in the seats of the gorgeous Bradley Symphony Center very soon, and so should you, if you want to leave the hardships of life behind for a few hours and listen to your worries wash away with each note. Here’s hoping I’ll see you there.