Soaring "Elijah" Earns Accolades

A stunning performance of Felix Mendelssohn’s “Elijah” — which brought the 300-member audience to its feet and elicited prolonged cheers and pew-thumping — concluded the 2008-2009 Tiffany Series. John Walker conducted the Chancel Choir and Frederick Swann served as guest organist for this memorable event.

“Thrilling” was the word heard over and over, as people thronged Walker, Swann and the soloists after the performance. “Thrilling” was also the word chosen by choir members to describe their experience singing the oratorio.

The soloists—Lydia Beasley, soprano; Diane Schaming, mezzo; James Cox, tenor; Andrew Sauvageau, baritone, as Elijah; and Graham Bishai as the youth—came in for particular praise. Not only do they have gorgeous voices, people agreed, but they also sang with extraordinary intelligence and artistry. The strong sense of ensemble among the singers was also noted as a factor in the performance’s success.

At the organ, Frederick Swann showed why his skill with accompaniment is legendary. The renowned organist had “extra-sensory perception,” as one person put it, anticipating each singer’s intention and providing a foundation from which he or she could “soar.”

Eileen Guenther spoke of hearing “the rushing of the water and the flicker of the flames” in the “countless notes” Swann played, and noted the hundreds of piston changes it took to create various effects. Guenther, national President of the American Guild of Organists and Professor of Sacred Music at Wesley Seminary, asserted, “I have seldom been so struck by a total musical experience.”

John Walker was specially praised for his expert pacing and his ability to get highly nuanced emotional expression from his finely prepared choir. During welcoming remarks, Andrew Foster Connors presented John with a white floral arrangement from the Chancel Choir and, on their behalf, thanked him for the opportunity to perform “Elijah.”

Among the accolades:
“Your choir sang with clarity and conviction and delivered the emotion of this music so well. Your soloists just melted my heart with their musicianship. Frederick Swann’s accompaniment was so colorful and varied…”

“About twenty-five years ago I sang ‘Elijah’ with the Mendelssohn Choir under André Previn. John Shirley-Quirk was Elijah. In 2004 I sang ‘Elijah’ with the Choral Society of Durham under Rodney Wynkoop. Sanford Sylvan was Elijah. So when I tell you that Sunday’s performance was the most totally fulfilling and satisfying ‘Elijah’ I’ve ever experienced, I want you to know that I’ve set the bar pretty high.”

“The organ music was sublime; the choir was so crisp that I could understand the text. All of the performance was wonderful, wonderful — what I’d expect to hear at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall!”

Previous Tiffany Series events have included:
• “Family Organ Extravaganza” — a special concert with teenage musicians (and John Walker) designed to teach young people about the organ as an instrument. Live video projection of the organists actually playing was a highlight.
• “Imagine a World Without War,” with music by Brian Prechtl, a talk by Elizabeth McAlister, and a performance by Kinobe and Soul Beat Africa
• “How Can I Keep From Singing?” —a lively, varied vocal concert by Brown Memorial’s soloists.
• The Baltimore Area Handbell Festival, directed by Richard Frey. Four choirs of handbell ringers played as a 250-bell ensemble and as individual choirs.
• A Gospel Music Festival, directed by Dr. Barbara Baker. This inspiring concert was presented by the combined choirs of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Church and Colesville United Methodist Church of Silver Spring, MD.

…and speakers Harry Belafonte and Marian Wright Edelman!

Proceeds from Tiffany events support Brown Memorial’s mission programs in Baltimore and beyond.