Show Masterpiece Bach Passion At AI U. U Rates Big Applause Ry fly r Tim Jim Fitzpatrick Fir Despite the fact that the music is unseasonable lIr it being customary customary custom custom- ary ry to present more joyous works at Christmastime me and equally customary to present this particular particular particular par par- work vork during Lent the performance Frida Friday evening of Johann Sebastian Bachs Bach's setting of the Lords Lord's Passion according to St. St Matthew was a triumph of musicianship The combined choruses of the University of Utah in cooperation with the Utah State Symphony and a well chosen g- g group of soloists soloists soloists solo solo- presented the baroque masterpiece masterpiece masterpiece mas mas- with evident understanding understand understand- ing and considerable expertness To e idea how ho g give ge you jOU an baroque the work worle is it calls for two choruses and two orchestras as aswell well vell as six soloists and the organ The happiest surprise of the evening was the exceptional choral work You dont don't really expect such perfectly trained voices in ina ina ina a performance of this kind You are satisfied if they are just ade ade- quate However the men who I trained the choruses David choruses David A. A Shand Richard Condie William Villiam I Peterson and J. J Marlowe Neilson I worked their material a finely integrated group The singIng singIng sing sing- Ing was crisp and incisive Sing Sing-I Among the solo arias the most notable I thought was the alto one in part 2 of the work which is sung with a violin obbligato Muriel Maxwell who ho is an out-of- out I town ton singer did beautifully with it it iL and I found it very touching Tibor Zelig the symphony's concertmaster concertmaster con- con provided the obbligato Also well worth your time were the performances of Kenly W. W Whitlock in m the demanding part of the evangelist and Blanche M. M I. I Christensen the soprano The Theother Theother Theother other solo parts were sung by Harold H. H Bennett bass Walter Valter Richardson and Marvin Sorensen And of course the guiding spirit of the evening was Maurice anel and His orchestra was Avas letter perfect and nd he welded the whole immense ensemble into one great musical unit A second performance perform perform- ance of the St Matthews Matthew's Passion Passion Passion Pas Pas- sion may be heard Saturday evening eve eve- fling ning in Kingsbury hall hail |