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St. Paul Pioneer Press
June 27, 2014: "...[O]ne could scarcely have asked for more from the Minnesota Chorale. It was of outstanding voice throughout Stravinsky's 'Symphony of Psalms,' a work with urgent gravitas, but also a tone of meditative ritual akin to what the composer likely found in the Russian Orthodox Church of his upbringing. With an eccentric instrumentation devoid of violins and violas but bursting with winds (four or five on almost every instrument) and featuring two pianos, it's a work with a sound all its own, one brought to powerful life by the orchestra. "I've heard Orff's 'Carmina Burana' performed several times, but can't recall an interpretation as full of precision, spirit and theatricality as Thursday's. The choir's diction was impeccable, the voices exquisitely blended and balanced." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune June 27, 2014: "Carl Orff’s 'Carmina Burana' gets top billing at this week’s Minnesota Orchestra concerts, but the real highlight is Stravinsky’s 'Symphony of Psalms.' The season finale is a choral spectacular, featuring the Minnesota Chorale. "Stravinsky was commissioned to compose this setting of three Latin Psalms in 1930, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Boston Symphony. It grew out of his return, four years earlier at age 44, to the Russian Orthodox Church of his childhood. This is a somber masterpiece. (Even an “Alleluiah” is subdued rather than joyous.) He created a dark aural palette by eliminating violins, violas and clarinets from the ensemble. "The Minnesota Chorale easily handled the complex music. They imbued it with a depth of feeling that was otherwise lacking." --William Randall Beard Minneapolis StarTribune April 8, 2013: "...this magnificent ensemble ' "One of the negative consequences of the Minnesota Orchestra lockout is a reduction in opportunities to hear the Minnesota Chorale. This weekend served as a reminder of what an outstanding ensemble this is. "When it comes to Bach, Chorale director Kathy Saltzman Romey has both passion and proficiency, which she amply demonstrated in an all-Bach program performed in St. Paul and Wayzata this weekend. "The opening movement, a fantasia on the tune, was sung with radiant joy, while still maintaining absolute clarity in the complex vocal textures. "Romey was equally successful conducting musicians of the Minnesota Bach Ensemble. She made perfectly clear the intricate dialogues between the instruments. The musicians produced a warm sound that beautifully supported the voices. "In the finale, an exuberant chorale, it was hard not to play the congregation and sing along. The singers’ passion was infectious. "The Chorale performed two motets, “Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied” (“Sing to the Lord a new song”) being the most demanding -- and rewarding. The first movement includes a piece of amazing counterpoint, in which each of the eight parts enters independently. The Chorale handled it with ease. "This soaring music speaks to the soul. Let’s hope the lockout is resolved soon, so that we can have more chances to hear this magnificent ensemble." --William Randall Beard Minneapolis StarTribune December 21, 2012: "Wolff rejoins SPCO musicians for 'Messiah' "Wolff's reading of this most beloved of oratorios followed, to a large extent, current thinking about 18th-century repertoire, a view heavily influenced by the research and insights of the early-music movement. Performing forces were relatively small: an orchestra of about two dozen players and a chorus -- the excellent Minnesota Chorale -- numbering about 45. (Handel's orchestra for the 1742 Dublin premiere numbered about 35, with not more than a dozen singers.) "Tempos were generally brisk with strong rhythms. Wolff favored a light, airy approach to the choral numbers, letting them start softly and then build naturally to exciting climaxes. "For unto us a Child is born" was a highlight. It began wonderfully, the soprano line sung like gossamer. (The astute Kathy Saltzman Romey trained the chorus.)" --Michael Anthony St. Paul Pioneer Press December 21, 2012: "Out of strife comes a memorable 'Messiah' "There was a time when the Twin Cities' two major orchestras presented dueling 'Messiahs' each December. Credit its larger audience base, but the Minnesota Orchestra came to be the lone presenter over the past couple decades, and that's something of a shame, as the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra is the more accomplished baroque band, an ensemble that's proven exceptionally adept with the works of George Frideric Handel. "While it's difficult to deem anything a blessing about the management of both orchestras locking out their musicians since October, some very welcome reunions have come about as a result. And there were two of them at a memorable concert at Minneapolis' Central Lutheran Church on Thursday night, Dec. 20: The musicians of the SPCO met up with 'Messiah' again, as well as with their former music director, Hugh Wolff. It proved an inspiring meeting of musical minds and souls, a sharply focused performance of intensity, energy and technical precision. "Wolff isn't the only outstanding collaborator for this pair of performances, for the Minnesota Orchestra's customary 'Messiah' partner, the Minnesota Chorale, is the choir, while four Minnesota Opera regulars -- Karin Wolverton, Victoria Vargas, Brad Benoit and Richard Ollarsaba -- are the vocal soloists. Everyone shone brightly on Thursday, as the choir was deeply attuned to the high-contrast dynamics demanded by Wolff and each soloist displayed both gentleness and power. "Wolff demonstrated that he's even more exciting than during his '90s tenure as SPCO music director. Now the head of orchestras at the New England Conservatory of Music, he shaped this interpretation note by note, phrase by phrase, making clear at every turn what sound he sought. "...[Y]ou'll seldom if ever hear an orchestra play Handel better. They offered such a rare combination of delicacy and drive, ethereal beauty and exacting ensemble work that it proved the most eloquent of reminders of what we've been missing while management cancels its concerts." --Rob Hubbard City Pages Owl City's "Good Time" collaboration with the Minneapolis Youth Chorus -- behind-the-scenesMonday, August 27, 2012 by Reed Fischer in Music It's known Owl City's Adam Young hooked up with "Call Me Maybe" singer Carly Rae Jepsen to record the summer hit "Good Time." But there are about 50 other Minnesota-based artists who also perform on the song, which appears on The Midsummer Station, released last week. Back on March 13, Young and his associates met with the Minneapolis Youth Chorus at Terrarium Studios, and laid down the backing track of joyous children singing in the song's refrain. The MYC is in its sixth year and is a free program for kids enrolled in 4th to 9th grades who can get through the rigorous audition. Gimme Noise spoke to Young, the Minnesota Chorale's executive director Bob Peskin, the chorus' director Pat Arasim, and chorus member Audrey Darst-Kereakos (and her mother Wendy) about a recording session that turned into one of the most popular songs of 2012. [jump] Adam Young: It was my manager's idea. He said "What about having a kids chorus on the last two choruses [for 'Good Time']?" I said "Yeah, that's it." I hadn't even thought of it. He hooked it up and he called around and whatever and got us a session up there in Minneapolis. Bob Peskin: Very much unsolicited. We got a call in the office one day from, I guess, the producer of the album saying that they were looking to bring in a children's chorus to help out with the refrain on this song. He was interested in working in a children's choir from the region. It was never really clear to me how they found out about us. I gotta say, we're classical musicians here and very few of us had heard of this particular artist, but as soon as we announced it to the kids -- that they'd be doing a recording session with Owl City -- they were screaming. It was like the Beatles had come to town and said "Hey, you wanna sit in with us on a few songs?" Pat Arasim: These are kids who have had to learn to sing a piece of music over an orchestra and sing difficult pieces in different languages. This was exciting because of who Owl City is, but not necessarily because the music was challenging. Wendy Darst-Kereakos: My daughter's 13 years old, and I don't have to worry. It's nice to have an artist who has a positive message. Katy Perry's marketing herself to young girls, and "Last Friday Night" is about blacking out. He's able to be successful not doing that. A lot of kids don't like the Bieber. Adam's independent and not a manufactured product. It's not like they did a focus group and came up with him. Audrey Darst-Kereakos: Pat broke the news to us during rehearsal one day. I was really excited. I was really, really, really excited. She taught us the part ahead of time. We rehearsed it, and we already knew it. Pat Arasim: It was fun for the kids because they had heard the "Fireflies." I didn't get much instruction. I got a vocal of him singing it, and as I listened to it, I transcribed it onto sheet music. Then I went onto YouTube and found the "Fireflies" and heard that digitized sound. I knew he was going to be mixing in a lot of stuff with it. So we took it from there. The phrase had two different endings and we just had to learn how to rock 'n' roll and shout-sing it. It's just a simple little phrase, you know? That took us about 15 minutes to learn it, and a couple of hours to go to the studio and record it. Adam Young: Yeah. Their director, that's why we got out of there so quick, had run through the chorus a couple of times before they came in, so they knew the part pretty well. Wendy Darst-Kereakos: Adam Young was really nice to the kids and appreciative. He was very kind to them. He was not condescending to them in any way. The grown-ups were not in there when they were recording. They each received a small amount for doing the session. Pat Arasim: Oh my gosh. He could not have been nicer. So totally not "I'm a rock star." To the kids' credit, they were very impressed with the kids in the studio. When it became time to start, they were just like pros. They organized, and got ready to sing. We had about 20 takes of the singing, and another 10-12 of the shouting in a really hot studio. They just had to sing it off of my beat because there was no monitor for them to hear it off of. He was so with the kids and in the moment, and thrilled for them. When they started singing, I could see his jaw drop. They make a big sound, a big, glorious sound, and I knew he was very happy. Audrey Darst-Kereakos: Now I'm really obsessed. It was really awesome to meet him. He's really nice. He seemed really happy that he has such huge fans of his music, and read his blog. I got to chat with him. It was cool. I talked to him about how I really like singing, and it's what I want to do when I'm older. Adam Young: They knew the band. So they all wanted stuff to sign. I showed up, and they showed up, and we literally knocked it out in like 15 minutes and they left. It was really cool. Bob Peskin: The group had recorded an album with the Sweet Colleens a couple years back. That was much more extensive. They were familiar with what it was like to be in a recording studio. They were very happy with the results. They said, you've laid down your tracks, you're done, and we'll contact you when it's released. Audrey Darst-Kereakos: Oh my god, I didn't know it was going to be this huge of a song, and now it's like a world-wide summer anthem for 2012. I'm in one of my idol's songs. All my friends are always bragging now that I'm in that song. Adam Young: It was a really special moment. Bonus, here are photos of Adam with a bunch of the members of the chorus: https://youtu.be/H7HmzwI67ec Minneapolis StarTribune January 21, 2012: "Songs of destiny and lament find a sublime pairing" "As part of its "Bravo Brahms!" festival, the Minnesota Orchestra joined forces with the Minnesota Chorale Friday night at Orchestra Hall, for sublime performances of two of Brahms' choral masterworks as centerpieces of an all-Brahms program. "Brahms wrote "Nänie" ("an ancient lament") on hearing of the death of his friend, the artist Anselm Feuerbach. His setting of the poem by Schiller is not despairing, but more consoling, much like his "German Requiem." The chorale and its artistic director, Kathy Saltzman Romey, gave an exemplary reading of the requiem last winter, and this performance was no less masterful. "From the long orchestral introduction to the polyphonic choral opening to the gentle middle section, Romey maintained firm control of the massed forces. This was a deeply felt reading that used technical proficiency to create real emotional impact. "Romey was equally adept at the more dramatic "Schicksalslied" ("Song of Destiny"). The poem by Friedrich Hölderlin contrasts the blissful, idyllic life of the gods with the bleak, tortured existence of humanity. The clarity of the chorus' sound was demonstrated in the soft dynamics. "Brahms refused to give in to Hölderlin's grim worldview. In the postlude, Romey well handled the orchestra, capturing the gentle spirit of healing with which Brahms' work concludes." --William Randall Beard St. Paul Pioneer Press December 8, 2011: "Wednesday evening's opening performance [of Handel's Messiah] was capable of inspiring several fresh epiphanies about this oft-played piece. With Scottish conductor Nicholas Kraemer conducting from the harpsichord and both the Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Chorale lavishing attention upon each note, it had an intimacy you might not imagine possible in a 2,450-seat hall. "While the arias of the guest vocal soloists are usually the showstoppers in "Messiah" - and there were some excellent offerings among them - the choir was responsible for many of the most thrilling moments. Although 48 voices strong, the group delivered each chord and syllable with ear-opening distinctness, especially astounding during the layered fugues. They were paradoxically able to sound like the most cohesive of units yet a collection of four-dozen very individual voices." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune March 27, 2011: "Chorale's voices shine in Brahms 'Requiem' "Minnesota Chorale's performance of Brahms' 'Ein deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem),' heard Friday night at Hamline University's Sundin Hall, made for compelling listening, all the more for being done in an arrangement for two pianos that Brahms himself made of the massive orchestral score. "In this version, the voices are indisputably center stage, not having an orchestra to compete with. The chorale sang with clarity and purity of tone, even at the extreme ends of the dynamic range. Members used their impeccable musical precision as a vehicle for conveying the work's deep spirituality. "Pianists Barbara Brooks and Mary Jo Gothmann proved able accompanists. If they were not able to equal the orchestral climaxes, they compensated with moments of great delicacy, ending the work on a moment of grace." --William Randall Beard Minneapolis StarTribune January 16, 2011: "REVIEW: The Minnesota Chorale offered a powerful set of sacred works led by their talented director. "Minnesota Chorale artistic director Kathy Saltzman Romey's job is usually to prepare her chorus for other conductors. We should hear her conduct the Minnesota Orchestra more often, if Saturday's entrée in the Mid-Winter Mozart Festival is any indication. "She programmed the chorale in five sacred works by Mozart, a more diverse program than that description might suggest. She arranged them into a powerful set, in which they gained effect through juxtaposition. "From the opening of the dark Kyrie in D minor, she demonstrated her sure hand at orchestral dynamics. "The pleas of 'Lord have mercy' echoed passionately and majestically against an orchestra projecting no small amount of ominousness. "The 19-year-old Mozart wrote the 'Misericordias Domini' for the Elector of Bavaria. His boss at the time, the archbishop of Salzburg, had forbidden the use of polyphony, so Mozart used this opportunity to create an intricate polyphonic setting. The chorale sang with utmost clarity, rendering the complex writing transparent. "The familiar 'Ave verum corpus' was breathtaking in its transcendent simplicity. The 'Inter natos mulierum,' stately and fast-paced, was sung with a crystalline sound that seemed to shine. The 12-year-old Mozart's joyous setting of 'Veni Sancte Spiritus,' capped by an extended 'Alleluia,' completed the journey from darkness to light." --William Randall Beard Minneapolis StarTribune November 22, 2010: "With its annual Bridges concert ... the Minnesota Chorale created an irresistible choral experience.... The chorale proved once again that it is one of the area's preeminent choirs, [combining] impeccable diction with a real commitment to the music, a deeply spiritual performance.... [Chorale] artistic director Kathy Saltzman Romey ... proved masterful at maintaining a disciplined ensemble and infusing it with passion.... Voices of Experience, conducted by its accomplished director, Mary Kay Geston ... deliver[ed] idiomatic performances of diverse works.... [T]he Minneapolis Youth Chorus, exceptionally well rehearsed by founding conductor Patrice Arasim ... produced a strong, round sound." --William Randall Beard >> complete review here Minneapolis StarTribune July 25, 2010: "...[I]n its brief appearances in Acts I and II [of Puccini's Tosca, the Minnesota Chorale] sang robustly, filling the hall." --William Randall Beard St. Paul Pioneer Press January 15, 2010: "[The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra], Minnesota Chorale, conductor Edo de Waart and seven very impressive vocal soloists performed a 'Rake's Progress' that will likely be looked back upon as the triumph of [the SPCO's Stravinsky] festival. Impeccably executed with unflagging energy and inspiring musicianship, it not only illuminated the composer's genius, but left the enthusiastic audience debating who deserved the greatest praise for its success. ... [T]he Minnesota Chorale [created] a character all its own in W.H. Auden's surreal and humorous crowd scenes." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune January 15, 2010: "Although this was a concert presentation [of 'The Rake's Progress'], the whole evening took on an impressive dramatic shape and color, ... and the always fine Minnesota Chorale brought expert musicianship to the tricky choral parts." --Michael Anthony St. Paul Pioneer Press December 11, 2009: "If what you desire [from a performance of Handel's Messiah] is a sense of majesty and import, then the Cathedral of St. Paul was the place to be on Thursday night. The Minnesota Orchestra and Minnesota Chorale delivered an admirably precise performance. ... [The Chorale] employed a wide range of dynamics and a gentle touch to fugues that could have easily been overpowered." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune June 12, 2009: "The true star of the evening…was Minnesota Chorale. The work imposed incredible demands and they demonstrated real virtuosity throughout. They delivered impressive fortes but were most amazing in the more difficult pianissimos. And in the Credo's statement of faith, they sounded like they believed every word." --William Randall Beard St. Paul Pioneer Press June 12, 2009: "The Minnesota Chorale was clearly attuned to Vänskä's desire to employ a broad range of dynamics, often in rapid-fire fashion. Their tone remained rich over the course of several breakneck turns of mood on the 'Gloria,' and, after a transfixing one-sentence account of the Crucifixion, they emphatically punched each staccato syllable on the close of the 'Credo.'" --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune February 28, 2009: "The Minnesota Orchestra's recording of Stephen Paulus' oratorio To Be Certain of the Dawn is a major event. This is a momentous work receiving a stellar performance. It's a disc that lovers of contemporary choral music will want to have in their collection. "There are too few recordings of the magnificent Minnesota Chorale. With any luck, their dazzling work here will change that. They are ably partnered by the Minnesota Boychoir, the Basilica Cathedral Choir and the Cathedral Choristers." --William Randall Beard MinnPost February 20, 2009: "To Be Certain of the Dawn is a must-have recording for choral fans: "The Minnesota Orchestra has just released its recording of To Be Certain of the Dawn, the acclaimed Holocaust memorial oratorio by Stephen Paulus that received its debut at the Basilica of St. Mary in 2005. … [T]he recording creates a moment that is enveloping and deeply moving — heartbreaking in parts, actually — and there’s little doubt that it is among the masterpieces of Paulus’ long composing career. "The recording involved massive resources: The Minnesota Orchestra, Minnesota Chorale, Minnesota Boychoir, the Basilica Cathedral Choir, the Cathedral Choristers, four soloists and a cantor. If you’re a fan of Minnesota-made choral music, you’ll want to have this disc in your collection." --David Hawley St. Paul Pioneer Press December 20, 2008: "On Friday night, the Minnesota Orchestra was one of five ensembles on stage for arrangements of Christmas music that swung, swooned, soothed and skipped along pleasantly. … When the orchestra wasn't lending its sumptuous sound to some lush arrangement of a seasonal song, the Minnesota Chorale was hypnotizing with its harmonies. … Other impressive performances came when the Minnesota Chorale's leader, Kathy Saltzman Romey, took the podium for a lovely arrangement of 'What Child is This?' " --Rob Hubbard St. Paul Pioneer Press December 11, 2008: "The Minnesota Orchestra … and its versatile vocal collaborators, the Minnesota Chorale, have become the Twin Cities' prime holiday purveyors of George Frideric Handel's oratorio, Messiah. … Wednesday evening's first offering of the '08 Messiah at Minneapolis' Basilica of St. Mary was an interpretation of great delicacy, one at its most compelling when letting the sadness emerge. "The Minnesota Chorale overcame … the Basilica's voracious way of gobbling up notes and lyrics with a velvet touch. "Under the direction of English conductor Christopher Warren-Green, it was a performance as graceful and smooth as his confident conducting." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune September 27, 2008: "Ralph Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony (Symphony No. 1) is a monumental and moving choral work. It's hard to understand why it is so rarely programmed. Yet [Friday's] performance at Orchestra Hall … touched the soul of this profound composition. … From the fortissimo opening, the Minnesota Chorale delivered a tour de force performance. …The text of the final movement was especially dense. But the setting and the performance conveyed mystical truths, ending the symphony with a sense of sublime mystery." --William Randall Beard St. Paul Pioneer Press September 27, 2008: "Ralph Vaughan Williams' A Sea Symphony…was brought to vibrant, turbulent life by conductor Osmo Vänskä, the Minnesota Orchestra and a team of expert singers. … The words were wonderfully sung by the Minnesota Chorale, which seemed impressively comfortable with the composer's very British harmonies and an array of moods that runs from explosive martial fanfares to the ultra-soft pianissimos at the work's conclusion. … This was a case in which a concert offered so much that it's hard to imagine anyone could have left Minneapolis' Orchestra Hall unsatisfied." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune May 15, 2008: "Minnesota Chorale takes center stage at this week's Minnesota Orchestra concerts, singing three rarely heard choral works by Johannes Brahms. Under legendary guest conductor Helmuth Rilling, it is doubtful that these works could be heard better performed anywhere in the world." --William Randall Beard St. Paul Pioneer Press May 15, 2008: "[F]ans of choral music…will be delighted by the shiver-inspiring performances given [to Brahms's "Nänie" and "Schicksalslied"]. Of the many excellent choral groups in our area, the Minnesota Chorale has always struck me as particularly suited for the kind of rounded, uniformly textured part-singing that Brahms requires. … [T]he Chorale's sturdily supported singing and fine balance — credit artistic director Kathy Saltzman Romey for developing this — results in a wonderful reading of Brahms. The female voices, in particular, can handle the kind of long-flowing eruptive melodic lines without strain and the aching harmonies between all the vocal parts are clearly and beautifully revealed." --David Hawley Minneapolis StarTribune December 14, 2007: "The vocal highlight of the evening was the Minnesota Chorale. They sang joyously, making even the most overfamiliar music, like "Hallelujah Chorus" sound fresh. And with their exemplary diction, they communicated the meaning of the texts…" --William Randall Beard St. Paul Pioneer Press December 13, 2007: "[Conductor Stephen] Layton summoned up a gentle "Messiah," handled with care by the orchestra, the Minnesota Chorale and a quartet of strong vocal soloists. … A scaled-down 46-voice version of the Minnesota Chorale responded to Layton's leadership with admirable delicacy, especially on a finale that found power in gentleness." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune November 9, 2007: "[Arvo] Pärt is an exponent of what is most accurately described as 'sacred minimalism.' He uses the most limited melodic and harmonic resources and yet infuses them with deep mystery. … In Como cierva sedienta (As the Hart Pants), Pärt evolved beyond strict minimalism, though he retained a commitment to simplicity. His setting of Psalms 42 and 43 took on an element of intensity and drama. The texts, expressions of faith in the face of oppression, have their roots in Russian Orthodox chant, set against a frequently agitated and dissonant accompaniment. The women of the Minnesota Chorale sang this difficult music exquisitely, despite the punishingly high tessitura." --William Randall Beard Choral Journal July, 2007: "Osmo Vänskä's Ninth is notable for its energy and precision; the Scherzo in particular has been praised as perhaps the finest on disc. But let's cut to the chase--the finale, too, is just terrific. Kathy Saltzman Romey's Minnesota Chorale sings German with echt Viennese feeling but Berlin-style (i.e., breathtakingly clean) diction. Although Vänskä employs the new Barenreiter urtext edition, he allows the singers all of the exuberant, climactic moments that Beethoven surely intended; this is no cut-the-music-down-to-(our)-size 'historically informed' performance. … Highly recommended.” --Lawrence Schenbeck Audiophile Audition October 21, 2006: "…[T]he most powerful and exciting Ninth I have ever heard." --John Sunier Minneapolis StarTribune October 13, 2006: "Beethoven's grand choral finale, the goal toward which each of the earlier movements points, is trickier, especially given his unmerciful vocal writing. The Minnesota Chorale sings wonderfully, with spirit and superbly well-focused tone. The sopranos hit their string of high A's without strain, and the great climax on "Vor Gott!" is as thrilling as any you'll hear." --Michael Anthony ClassicsToday.com September 22, 2006: "…[T]he chorus sings magnificently throughout, and with such clarity of diction that you can practically transcribe the text of Schiller's ode even if you don't know German. As with the instrumental contribution, Vänskä gets all of his singers to communicate the sense of the music with remarkable immediacy, and even with swift basic tempos there's plenty of weight at such places as the big tenuto on "vor Gott!" as well as in the choral fugue with its spectacular soprano climax." --David Hurwitz St. Paul Pioneer Press Saturday, April 29, 2006: "…[T]hanks to the sure hand of conductor Roberto Abbado and the skilled singing of the Minnesota Chorale and four soloists, Friday night's concert proved a heavenly delight. …[T]he most transcendent sections of the concert came on such achingly beautiful distillations of pure sadness as the Laudate Dominum from [Mozart's] "Vesperae solennes de confessore" and the more solemn sections of the [Coronation] Mass. At such times, the chief cherubim transporting listeners to celestial bliss were the Minnesota Chorale - displaying its customarily outstanding sense of dynamics - and Karina Gauvin … who suffused each sigh-inducing solo with light and loveliness." --Rob Hubbard St. Paul Pioneer Press Friday, January 13, 2006: "Thursday night's first offering of [Beethoven's 9th] proved perhaps the most exciting take on the symphony local audiences may ever have the fortune to experience. … But the most exhilarating performance came from the Minnesota Chorale, which has likely never sounded better. Executing smooth crescendos and diminuendos where one customarily hears percussive blasts, the Chorale--expertly prepared by Kathy Saltzman Romey--wove an "Ode" of impeccable beauty and power." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune Friday, December 9, 2005: "English conductor Paul Goodwin offered … a solid, communicative account [of Handel's Messiah] that benefited from the excellent singing of the Minnesota Chorale and four accomplished sololists. … The chorus, prepared by Kathy Saltzman Romey, had many impressive moments, from the light transparency of And he shall purify to the weighty drama of Surely, He hath borne our griefs." --Michael Anthony St. Paul Pioneer Press Thursday, December 8, 2005: "A tradition that gets better by the year: "…[W]hen one thinks of Messiah, it's the voices that pop to mind. And not only did the Minnesota Chorale deftly evoke the work's emotional extremes, it did so with purposeful passion. "[T]he Minnesota Orchestra's annual performances of the work seem only to improve with age… and never in recent memory have the orchestra and Minnesota Chorale shown themselves to have such a clear handle on Handel." --Rob Hubbard Minneapolis StarTribune Friday, October 28, 2005: "…Andrew Litton and the musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra, along with a stageful of fine singers, got close to what Mahler put down on paper in their performance of the Symphony No. 3 at Orchestra Hall Thursday night. … [A]ll the choral forces onstage -- the women of the Minnesota Chorale and the two children's choruses, the Metropolitan Boys Choir and the Metropolitan Choralaires -- impressively brought the fifth movement to life, projecting warm tone and well-sprung rhythms." --Michael Anthony Minneapolis StarTribune Friday, October 14, 2005: "This was 'Daphnis and Chloe' writ large in widescreen 3D, vivid and colorful. Any notions that this was a ballet were left behind. [Conductor Yan Pascal] Tortelier took it purely as an orchestral showpiece, which, to be sure, is one of the ways to do this piece, and the orchestra gave him a great performance, as did the Minnesota Chorale, which actually managed to give some character, along with bright, forward sound, to its nearly endless succession of 'oohs' and 'ahhs' and occasional 'arghs'." --Michael Anthony St. Paul Pioneer Press Friday, October 14, 2005: "… On Thursday evening, [French conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier] was akin to a solo dancer on the podium, coaxing an excellent performance out of the [Minnesota O]rchestra and the Minnesota Chorale with an athletic style that looked a lot like modern dance and a charisma, confidence and magnetism that particularly suited the Ravel. "Tortelier's grand gestures proved ideal for the evening's main attraction, the complete music from Ravel's ballet, 'Daphnis and Chloe.' … [I]t was delivered with a large dollop of theatricality Thursday, with mood-altering lighting, musicians moving offstage and on, and a chorus that often leapt to its feet in flamboyant fashion." --Rob Hubbard |