Making the Case For a Mysterious Work

Classical Music

By JAY NORDLINGER
December 3, 2007

Schumann is a famous composer, one of the most famous we have. Yet one of his biggest works is barely known. This is the oratorio "Das Paradies und die Peri," or "Paradise and the Peri," which was performed in Carnegie Hall on Friday night. Sir Simon Rattle is the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic, as you probably know. But on this occasion he conducted the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Philadelphia Singers Chorale, to boot.

The concept of paradise, we are familiar with, but what is a peri? According to one dictionary, it is a "supernatural being in Persian folklore descended from fallen angels and excluded from paradise until penance is accomplished." Schumann drew his text from "Lalla Rookh: An Oriental Romance," by Thomas Moore. And his oratorio is a beautiful thing: evocative, often entrancing, and thoroughly Schumannesque. Sir Simon led a winning performance — more than making the case for the work. He had a handle on its various pieces (there are 26 of them) and on the oratorio as a whole. The performance was brimming with variety, like the work itself. But it was also seamless – again, like the work. Schumann's music was lyrical, tender, mysterious. And then grand, noble, "vertical." I have sometimes accused Sir Simon of being overly relaxed, or overly casual. Here, he was unforced yet firm, lenient yet unflaccid. This was smart conducting.

Much of the time, the music had a lovely chamber quality. And when it swelled, it was still clear, without clutter or excess weight. Translucence in grandeur is a Schumann trait. And the music was never without its appropriate character. An example: The Chorus of the Nile Spirits was scurrying, vibrant, spine-tingling. Sir Simon conducted the entire oratorio with sympathy and appreciation. No sense conducting a piece, especially a rarity, if you don't like it a lot, or at least value it.

Generally speaking, the Philadelphia Orchestra played accurately and attractively. Do they still have the fabled "Philadelphia sound"? That's hard to say, but, in any case, they sounded good on Friday night.

Also sounding good was the Philadelphia Singers Chorale, whose director is David Hayes. They were resonant, responsive, aware. They had their wits about them. And when they sang robustly, they didn't shout — their robustness was an elegant, Schumannesque robustness.

And Sir Simon had with him a slew of top-rate vocal soloists — soloists noted for their beauty of sound and their musical intelligence. The soprano Heidi Grant Murphy was the Peri, and she is a good choice, when you need a sprite, an angel — a being who sings purely and radiantly. She was in fine form: secure and expressive. When she sang "Where was there ever a gem that shone like the steps of Allah's wonderful throne?" you could virtually see it all. Now and then the orchestra covered her, but she generally got through.

Another soprano, Christine Brandes, was on hand, offering her usual aliveness. And the mezzo soloist was Bernarda Fink, from Argentina — who is no less than one of the world's best singers. Despite this, we rarely hear her in New York. So it is especially good to have heard her twice in Carnegie Hall so far this season. A month and a half ago, she sang in Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony, with the Cleveland Orchestra.

Might we hear her in a recital one day? If we do, that recital should include Bach, in which Ms. Fink is unsurpassed.

Sir Simon, and Schumann, had two tenors: Mark Padmore and Joseph Kaiser. The former, an Englishman, acted as a kind of narrator in this work, and he performed the service of not overdramatizing — he was willing to let the words and the notes tell the tale. He had a couple of unsteady moments in Part III ("Das Paradies und die Peri" is a tripartite work). But these were insignificant.

Finally, the low male voice was Luca Pisaroni, the young bass-baritone from Parma. He has been known for his roles in Mozart's Italian operas — notably Figaro. It was good to hear him in an oratorio, and in the German language. There is little doubt that Mr. Pisaroni will become an all-around singer.

Sir Simon had Heidi Grant Murphy and Mark Padmore stand in front of the orchestra — the major parts, or roles, belonged to them. The other soloists, he had stand behind the orchestra, with the chorus. This decision, though understandable, was questionable. I'm not sure you have Bernarda Fink (for one) stand in back of anything. You had to strain a bit to hear these singers; they were simply more distant than the soloists in front.

A month ago, also in Carnegie Hall, Yuri Temirkanov had the mezzo-soprano Larissa Diadkova stand in back. This was when he was conducting his St. Petersburg Philharmonic in Prokofiev's "Alexander Nevsky" cantata. I questioned that decision, too.

In any event, it was a treat to hear Schumann's oratorio, especially in so distinguished a performance. Have you ever seen Schumann's opera "Genoveva"? For that matter, have you ever heard Beethoven's oratorio "Christ on the Mount of Olives"? Can you be a great and immortal composer, and have one of your major works — even if it's not your best — go unperformed? Afraid so.