By Klaus P. Richter, Munich
The “Hallelujah” from Handel’s “Messiah” has long since become a classic icon of jubilation. Back then, in 1743, King George II enthusiastically tore it from its seat, and since then all English people have stood up to it. Thomas Gropper then strengthened his excellent Arcis vocalists in the Sendlinger Himmelfahrtskirche from 33 throats to 65 for the legendary jubilee. Although the L’arpa festante orchestra with its 20 players was partially “historically informed”, this is not a style break. Because Handel, who had directed many performances himself, played it in all sorts of changing line-ups.
Gropper, himself a skilled singer and accomplished choir director, did not turn the vocal forte into something striking. For the whole evening he did not rely on the overwhelming oratorio pathos of the later Handel performance practice, but rather on a chamber music diction, sensibly savored Handel’s melos, selected elegiac tempos and moderated the choir with nuances between delicate fine-tuning and sanguine exhilaration.
The tenor Georg Poplutz presented the concept right from the start with lyrical nobility in his aria “Comfort ye”. The three other soloists also fit in perfectly: Verena Gropper (soprano) with her fine esprit, but brilliant in the delicate brio cascades of the “Rejoice” aria, the counter Andreas Pehl for the alto parts with his brightly shining timbre, even if the dynamics occasionally seemed a bit unbalanced, and finally the baritone Andreas Burkhart, who had developed his great vocal structure in the Tölzer boys’ choir.
It’s a shame that the name of the two brilliant trumpet soloists was not found in the program. Not only did they create a splendid sound in the “Hallelujah”, but also in the finale.