Magnum opus

Director Dole prepares his first Saint Matthew Passion

Music Director Sanford Dole had only a few hours to bask in the glow of the Guild's successful March concerts. Eight hours after taking his final bows he was flying out to Indiana for an intense week of study with renowned Bach scholar and conductor Helmuth Rilling, who was preparing Bach's Saint Matthew Passion at Valparaiso University. The trip was arranged by board member Carol Handelman, through Mr. Rilling's agent. The following is excerpted from the journal which Mr. Dole kept during his week.

Open score

Tuesday, March 20 - There were rehearsals both in the afternoon and evening today. These were preceded by a one-on-one meeting with Mr. Rilling. I was very nervous, as I had never met the man. He didn't exactly put me at ease. He is a fairly serious man, now 68-years-old, with a shock of gray hair and deep-set eyes that are very aware and piercing.

In a somewhat preoccupied manner he asked what my questions were. There was no small-talk first. After a while he said perhaps it would be most useful for me just to look at his score. He said that I could have it until the rehearsal at 4:00. Now this was GOLD.

I immediately took his score to my room, and began poring over it. It includes not only bowings and articulations but also references to the number symbolisms that Bach employs throughout the three-hour opus. It's all very fascinating, and there is much that I can share with the chorus. This applies not only to explaining these number references, but also in the maestro's approach to phrasing, etc. Having seen the score, combined with his comments in rehearsal, I am gaining a clear sense of what this Bach scholar believes to be an authentic approach to performing this masterwork.

Educational opportunity

Thursday, March 22 - It seems like I've spent all of the past two days either attending rehearsal, eating or sleeping. Sitting on metal chairs while concentrating on every nuance of rehearsal has been taxing. Nonetheless, it's been very exciting and extremely educational. The music is really coming into focus. I can't believe my great fortune at being right in the middle of this preparation process.

Because these are mostly students, Rilling is doing more teaching that he might otherwise do in a professional situation. I am hanging on every word, scribbling notes all over the margins of my score, as well as making detailed markings on how he conducts each section. There were six hours of rehearsal yesterday and eight hours today. Amazingly, the maestro never seems to tire, although once he steps off the stage you can tell he is fatigued.

This afternoon's rehearsal was lower key as the maestro began working with the soloists. Chris Cock, the choir director, is singing the Evangelist part, and he is most impressive. He boasts an ideal voice for Bach, clear and ringing, and sings the role with amazing control and expression. Every phrase has nuance and his diction is flawless. Wow! If it seems that he and the maestro are of one mind, it may be because Chris has sung the role under Rilling's direction numerous times at the Oregon Bach Festival. In fact, this relationship is why Mr. Rilling has agreed to come to this small town. His presence on campus has created an unparalleled educational opportunity for the students. I wonder if these kids have any idea of how special this is.

The other soloists are all quite good. They all seem to know each other, as part of the Chicago area music scene, or, as their bios suggest, from working together in France with the Robert Shaw Festival Singers. The university has certainly not slouched on the budget, as these are clearly top-level professionals. It has been fascinating watching Rilling work with them. The hardest part of putting the arias together has been to get the orchestra to play stylistically and together. The players are using modern instruments, unlike what our orchestra will have, and I have been trying to translate in my mind what will and won't need to be said as a result.

Detail and finishing

Friday, March 23 - The afternoon rehearsal was spent refining the arias and the recitatives. It is all starting to come together nicely. At the evening's tutti rehearsal, the maestro was mostly concerned with the transitions between movements. At 68 numbered movements, many of which break down into smaller units, this is not something to be shirked.

Since Tuesday they have added a platform between the orchestra and the choir. This is a convenient place for the soloists from the chorus to move to, but more importantly, the children's choir has been placed there. This puts them directly in the conductor's line of sight as well as right next to the organ that doubles their part. They did seem to be more confident this time. And the orchestra has come a long way, too, especially the second orchestra. From the beginning the chorus has been well prepared and very responsive to direction.

The home stretch

Saturday, March 24 - At last, we are near the finish line. The dress rehearsal this afternoon went quite smoothly. Although the maestro stopped about three or four times to make brief comments, and started two movements a second time, it was a true run-through. The piece is so dramatic, and constructed with such flow that I don't find it at all long. We'll see if I still feel this way during the performance, when I think I will just close the book and enjoy the proceedings.

One of the times Mr. Rilling stopped conducting was to chide for chorus for going too fast at a certain entrance. He said "You must follow me, ja? In rehearsal you follow me. In performance I follow you." There was much laughter and tensions eased all around. In fact, he seemed to be genuinely enjoying himself, displaying rare smiles when things went well.

Exemplary performance

Sunday, March 25 - I sat on the side overlooking the stage, behind the soloists, almost on a plane with the conductor's podium. What a perfect choice this was! I could see the maestro's face as he was finally free to let go in performance. He conducted the entire work from memory, having moved the podium out of the way after he first entered. He was much more animated, often mouthing the words, and showed facial expressions to match the mood of the text in a way that he had never shown in the more relaxed rehearsals.

The performance was exemplary, full of drama and pathos. The drier acoustics actually helped Jesus's voice come into focus. The rest of the soloists, the students as well as the professionals, outdid themselves. Even among this excellent cast, Christopher Cock stole the show as an Evangelist of uncommon talent. His exceptional tone, phrasing and diction were a marvel to behold. The chorus aced their parts and, except for one small glitch, the orchestra successfully negotiated the many tricky entrances and the small nuances of Mr. Rilling's interpretation.

I felt so privileged to have been a part of this intense week of music making. I'm used to being in the middle of this process, but always as one of the performers. To be there, still literally in the middle of it, but as an auditor, gave me a different perspective. I thoroughly enjoyed watching how Mr. Rilling went after the results he was seeking. And to share the pleasure with the musicians as they rose to his standards was also satisfying. Being completely immersed in a masterwork such as Bach's "St. Matthew Passion" was thrilling and has given me a leg up on my own preparations that is far beyond my expectations. I feel very charged and ready to lead our forces in exciting performances of this great work come June. Thanks go to the BCG board for making this incredible learning experience possible. ###

A wealth of knowledge

Rehearsals for the quarter have been charged with energy and chock full of information, as Sanford Dole shares with the chorus the interesting and illuminating details he learned from Helmuth Rilling.

In addition, on May 5 the chorus was treated to a workshop session with David Gordon, who teaches master classes and is a lecturer for the Carmel Bach Festival. Mr. Gordon, who has sung the role of the St. Matthew Evangelist literally hundreds of times, has also provided coaching to Mr. Dole and will be delivering the preconcert lectures before the Guild's June 9 and 10 performances.

Sanford Dole's trip to Valparaiso and David Gordon's services were sponsored by board member Fred Terman. A champion of the Baroque Choral Guild's educational mission, Mr. Terman founded Peninsula Choral Workshop in 1980, when he was serving as president of the Guild's board of directors.

Volume 9, Issue 4

Baroque Choral Guild, 953 Industrial Ave. Ste 118, Palo Alto CA 94303, 650.424.1410