San Francisco Lyric Chorus

San Francisco Lyric Chorus
Sunday, August 23, 2009, 5 pm
Trinity Episcopal Church

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - Vesperae Solennes de Confessore, K. 339

Franz Schubert - Mass in G

Felix Mendelssohn - Beati Mortui
Say, Where Is He Born from Christus
There Shall a Star from Jacob from Christus
Kyrie in D minor
Lift Thine Eyes from Elijah
He Watching Over Israel from Elijah

Robert Gurney, Music Director
Robert Train Adams, Assistant Conductor and Concert Accompanist

I had never attended a San Francisco Lyric Chorus performance before, but I was lured by the Sunday afternoon time slot & the classical comfort of the repertoire. When I opened my program, I was a bit startled to see Sidney Chen of The Standing Room listed as bass soloist for the Mozart & Schubert. This is just after sighting him at Dido & Aeneas 2 days earlier. Fortunately I don't have to pan him. Even though his contributions were more like brief interjections, his smooth & somewhat round voice was a welcome bonus.

The acoustic in Trinity Episcopal Church is surprisingly dry for a high-ceilinged church, & the 36 member chorus sounded rather timid in the space. They were well-rehearsed, though I would have preferred less square tempos.

Looking around at the audience, I wondered where classical music would be without all these devoted old ladies. A woman in the row in front of me had her small lap dog with her. After the concert, she assured me that he is just as well-behaved when he attends the church services.

During the intermission I ran into the professor-like Stephen Smoliar for the 2nd time this weekend. There seems to be no escaping those classical music bloggers!