THE GREATEST PIECE NEVER HEARD

Missa Solemnis is one of Beethoven’s last works, and one of his greatest. He labored over it for four years (the most time he ever gave to composing), and then wrote on the completed score, “From the heart, may it go further to the heart!” While the epic Solemn Mass in five movements was first performed in St. Petersburg in 1824, the reimagined, semi-staged, video-infused concert which arrives  at Disney Hall this week is a world premiere. Led by Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT)’”Music Director of the San Francisco Symphony, Founder and Artistic Director of the New World Symphony, and Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra’”this major event is also a celebration of the maverick maestro’s 70th birthday.

But don’t let his age fool you. I have witnessed MTT in action at his home base this past year, including a glorious semi-staged production of Peter Grimes. The indefatigable L.A. native remains as insightful, youthful, and emotional as he was the first time I heard him, which was on the 1977 CBS recording of Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 3. It was this amazing album which also introduced me to the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the estimable outfit that will be playing Missa Solemnis  January 9-11, 2015.

This program is second in LA Phil’s new in/SIGHT series, which combines awe-inspiring music by groundbreaking composers with jaw-dropping visuals from renowned artists. The first program was Edgard Varèse’s Amériques (see review),  a revolutionary experience which opened the doors for a whole new classical music audience. I call it the Laserium of the 21st century.

Principal Guest Conductor of the Los Angeles Philharmonic from 1981 to 1985, MTT returns to the podium with a work so gargantuan in size that it is rarely performed live. Running approximately 80 minutes, Beethoven’s score calls for an orchestra of two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons and contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, organ, and strings. For the singers, MTT (who also conceived this project) has amassed soloists who have performed at the world’s best opera houses: soprano Joélle Harvey, mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford, tenor Brandon Jovanovich, and bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni. The four-part chorus will be made up of the sterling Los Angeles Children’s Chorus and the world-class Los Angeles Master Chorale (Grant Gershon, artistic director).

The immersive experience, a co-production with SF Symphony, is directed by James Darrah, who helmed Frank Zappa’s 200 Motels with the LA Phil, as well as the aforementioned Peter Grimes. Darrah leads the new LA-based production and design company Chromatic: a collective of interdisciplinary artists who collaborate to create aesthetic theatrical events across blurring mediums which prioritize narrative over convention. The video design is by Finn Ross, who will be animating the text of the piece as part of this stage and multimedia extravaganza (Ross’s spectacular work includes Broadway’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time). The lighting is designed by David Finn, who has been illuminating dance, opera, and theater across the globe for decades.

Missa Solemnis was completed the same year as Beethoven’s beloved Symphony No. 9, yet the composer favored his Mass setting, declaring it “the greatest work I have composed so far.” Unlike some of Beethoven’s more explicitly thematic work and archetypal symphonies, however, this is a more challenging work to digest in one listen. Because of its grandiose scale which is demanding to perform, it is impractical to produce, and it actually isn’t a good fit for a Catholic Church service. This is why a staged version is both a masterstroke and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even if you are  familiar with this radical work, you will find this staging to turn your experience of this masterpiece inside out. Also, there are $20 seats available, so anyone  can discover why musicologist Jean Swafford describes Missa Solemnis as “the greatest piece never heard.”

photos courtesy of LA Phil

Missa Solemnis
Los Angeles Philharmonic
Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor
Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave
Friday, January 9, 2015 at 8:00
Saturday, January 10, 2015 at 8:00
Sunday, January 11, 2015 at 2:00
Upbeat Live  talks with Veronika Krausas begin one hour before the performance
for tickets, call 323.850.2000 or visit www.LAPhil.com