By Lyn Bronson

 As we approach the end of Clark Suttle’s tenure as Music Director and Conductor of the Monterey County Symphony, it would be nice to say that he will be going out in a blaze of glory. However, the disappointing concert we heard at Sunset Center on Monday evening suggests otherwise. The program consisted of Fauré’s Pavane, Op. 50, for Orchestra and Chorus, Mendelssohn’s “Reformation” Symphony and the great Mozart Requiem, K.626.

In the Fauré Pavanne the lovely opening flute solo by principal flutist, Dawn Walker, was seemingly a promising omen for what to come during the evening’s program. The Symphony Chorus, prepared by Ken Ahrens, sounded fine, and we have to express admiration for the splendid dedication demonstrated by these non-professional singers (non-professional only in that they volunteer their services for free). Following the Fauré we heard Mendelssohn’s “Reformation” Symphony, a lightweight work at best, in a pleasant performance which had its charming moments.

After intermission came the heavyweight work on the program, the Mozart Requiem. One of the great moments in this work is the ominously hushed introduction to the opening section Requiem aeternam with its strong crescendo culminating in the entrance of the chorus. Also supremely powerful should be the terrifying fortissimo entrance of the Dies irae and the strong effect created in the Rex tremendae. None of these moments were as effective as they should have been.

Whereas last summer we heard a breakneck rendition of the Mozart Requiem at the Carmel Bach Festival, where the tempos were so fast it was like being on a roller coaster ride, the Monterey County Symphony’s performance last night was more of a “rocking chair” version. It was a sedate, rather tired and leisurely performance, hardly one of which Mozart would have approved. The soloists, soprano Andrea Matthews, mezzo Jacalyn Bower-Kreitzer, tenor William Watson and bass-baritone Kevin Deas, were adequate but not especially moving. We have local singers such as Linda Purdy and Reg Huston who could have done just as well, if not better. The dynamics of the chorus were understated, and the orchestral ensemble was consistently ragged.

Such a lackluster performance of the Requiem was enough to make you want to stay home and curl up with a good CD, or, for that matter, perhaps listen to an evening of KBOQ now that they have introduced a new format playing complete works.

The Monterey County Symphony’s next performance will be on March 22, 23,and 24, and will feature pianist Dubravka Tomsic playing Beethoven’s “Emperor” Concerto.

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