Page 174 - Demo

Page 6 PHOENIX March 7,1974Lhorus urows inHigh S tandardsfo r P h ilh arm o n iaBrooklynBY CORRINE COLEMANThe Brooklyn Philharmonia Chorus, believed to be the only choral society attached to a professional symphony orchestra, has been filling the borough with song for 19 years, now drawing many of its members from the Heights-Hill-Slope area.Begun a year after the creation of the Philharmonia, the chorus has presented its programs at such institutions as Carnegie Hall, Philharmonic (now Avery Fisher) Hall, and the Brooklyn Museum, as well as its home base, the Brooklyn Academy. With 135 members at one point, the group has sung such works as Beethoven%u2019s %u201cNinth,%u201d Berlioz%u2019 %u201cRomeo and Juliet,%u201d and Verdi%u2019s %u201cRequiem.%u201dThe Chorus has already performed this season in the %u201cMusic To Shakespeare%u201d concert led by Philharmonia director Lucas Foss during the beginning of Brooklyn Academy%u2019s British Theater Festival. The entire chorus sang Purcell%u2019s Music for the %u201cTempest%u201d, while the Women%u2019s Chorus sand Mendelsohn%u2019s %u201cMidsummer Nights Dream%u201d Music.Bach%u2019s %u201cCantata No. 146,%u201d %u2014 Wir Mussen durch-viel trusal %u2014%u25a0 will beperformed by chorus and orchestra this Sunday, March 10, during Lukas Foss%u2019 Piano Program %u2014 part of the Brooklyn Philharmonia series at the Academy. Pieces scheduled for later in the season include Charles Ives%u2019 %u201c67 Psalm%u201d %u2014 to be heard during the March 30 Concert of American Composers (when Aaron Copland will appear in person) %u2014 and Haydn%u2019s %u201cImperial Mass On Lord Nelson%u201d for the Philharmonia%u2019s later, 18th Century Marathon.Started under the direction of the Philharmonia%u2019s first conductor, Siegfried Landau, the leadership of the choral group moved to Brooklyn Music educator Sidney Morrow, and is now in the hands of David Aurelius, of Brooklyn Heights, who was chosen for the spot after Foss became the Orchestra%u2019s director three years ago.On a recent Tuesday at about 8:30 p.m., 40 members of the chorus doused their cigarettes, removed their scores from manila folders and entered the central room of the Friends Meeting House on Sc her mer horn St. Returning after intermission during the regular weekly rehearsal the group sat down for a run-through of Bloch%u2019s %u201cSacred Service,%u201d which isThe chorus in rehearsal at Friends Meeting HouseRecent Paintings March 16-28J O E L L E N B A R D MSI91 Atlantic Ave Brooklyn G A L L E R Y 9 1 IraBROOKLYN PHILHARMONIASunday, March 10, 3:00 PMIn the Music Hall of the Brooklyn Academy of MusicLUKAS FOSS at the PIANOMr. Foss will play and conductBach: F Minor ConcertoHindem ith: Four TemperamentsBach: Cantata 146 \LOIS BQVE,'Soprano %u2022 S O FIA S T E F F A N , Mezzo-SoprartoJO N A TH A N R IG G , Tenor %u2022 A L A N B A K E R , BaritoneB rooklyn Philharm onia Choral S ociety %u2022 D avid A urelius, C onductor '|$ 6 .50,5.50,4.50,3.50; Youth Rush Tickets.(212)636-4120.-636-4100| Brooklyn Academy of Music, one block from I R T,B M T,IN D ,LIR R 30 Lafayette Ave., Brooklyn, N .Y .%u2014Attended Parking Availablescheduled for performance this spring at Park Slope%u2019s Beth Elohim Temple.The singers were seated on the maroon upholstered pews %u2014 altos on one side %u2014 sopranos on another%u2014 tenors and basses facing the conductor. A young man %u2014 Kenny%u2014 accompanied on the Baldwin piano.The groups san their parts with Kenny %u2014 then a capella %u2014 then with Kenny again.Aurelius stopped the singers. %u201cThe highest note is not necessarily the loudest note,%u201d he explained.The singers resumed %u2014 tenors and bass %u2014 then altos, tenors and %u25a0 bass %u2014 sopranos came in %u2014 and all were together.The chorus repeated %u2014 the soloists took their parts. The voices rose, the sounds were throbbing %u2014 haunting %u2014 beautiful.%u201cThe chorus has become more flexible since the coming of Lukas Foss,%u201d Aurelius said later, after the rehearsal was over. We do shorter, sometimes lighter works as well as oratorios %u2014 and the new music Foss chooses for the Philharmonia concerts is attracting a more intellectual singer,%u201d he added.Yet with the Foss-Aurelius accent on more appearances of thechorus and with shorter pieces from time to time, has come a push for a more professional choral group. As Aurelius explains, Foss%u2019 demands have already changed the size and calibre of the chorus from a large community group, to a more disciplined chorale type of organization.%u201cSerious%u201d auditions have been initiated this year to back up the new focus. And according to the director, the newcomers and the remaining long time members are at this point the nucleus of a projected group of 100. %u201cWe%u2019d like to double the size and maintain the same standards,%u201d Aurelius says, announcing the current drive for a chorus of Brooklynites from all parts of the borough.The Philharmonia chorus, like most such arrangements is a voluntary organization. A $25. season membership fee from each singer, partially supports the group, and is, as the director says, less expensive than fees for most such societies. Despite the volunteer status, members of the chorus are subject to %u201cintense, arduous%u201d rehearsals in order to meet the newly established -standards, Aurelius asserts.Balancing, as the director says, community participation with the standards of a concert hall, the group needs people %u201cwith a damngood musical memory, and some musical knowledge who can hear %u2014 match pitches %u2014 hear intervals.%u201c The auditions given Tuesday night at rehearsal time consist of a %u201csimple ear test and a test of vocal range and quality.William Buchwalter, the Choral Society%u2019s Librarian and Vice President is typical of the new Brooklynite who has been recently drawn to the singing group. A resident of Park Slope (which along with Flatbush provides most of the current, members) Buchwalter has worked in the model cities program, and his wife Jane is now President of P. S. 282%u2019s P. T. A.Bill Walker, President of the Society and member of the Philharmonia Board f Directors joined in 1961 after attending Philharmonia concerts for the two preceding seasons. Employed as a social worker, Walker has a degree in music from the University of West Virginia, and studied with Conductor Serge Koussevitsky upon coming to Boston. In New York Walker sang with various choruses in the city until finding the Philharmonia. A former resident of Brooklyn he now makes the weekly trip to rehearsals all the way from Queens.Choral Director Aurelius, aContinued on Page 14Flack about 26 Willow Place%u2022 %u2022 %u2022u n' H E I G H T SP L A Y E R S Res 237-2752 * %u00bb l iFieldsWe%u2019d like to publicly state that we at Michel'swere not prepared for the explosive talents of theNorman Fields Duo with Bryan Torff on basscurrently holding forth in our new entertainmentroom, %u201cCabaret at Michel%u2019s\Not since Hellzapoppin have we experiencedsuch delicious sight gags coupled with sensitive,sophisticated renderings of show stopping tunes -all guaranteed to make your evening one you'llremember for a long, long time. Evenings spent atPoK-apr** rAmnknui morris a I|\\/ oqco the* nnin r\\4 v/rvt irww ww< -----j ------------- r - ------ ---- / ------day.No cover, no minimum. Attire: Vogue to Simplicity. Reservations appreciated. 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