REVIEW Westminster chorus joins Warren Philharmonic

The chorus was placed in the middle of the orchestra to give the performance balance.
WARREN -- The Westminster College Festival Chorus, a 130-voice ensemble, joined the Warren Philharmonic Orchestra for a stirring performance of the "Gabriel Faure Requiem Mass" on Sunday in Packard Music Hall.
The "Faure" is a restrained and introspective piece, but the large choral forces added remarkable resonance and power. This was especially evident in the beautiful "Kyrie" portion. In addition to the gorgeous choral sound, an expressive contrapuntal dialog took place between the violas and cellos from opposite sides of the stage front.
Conductor Susan Davenny Wyner wisely put the chorus in the back, the violas on the left, and the cello and basses on the right in order to create antiphonal dialog between the left and right sides and to balance choral and orchestral forces effectively.
The violins play a lesser role, and the original version omitted them entirely. Faure spent the last quarter of the 19th century writing, revising and expanding this masterpiece to reach the final extensive forces: soprano solo, baritone solo, mixed chorus, large string section, woodwinds by two, two trumpets, four horns, timpani, harp and organ.
The baritone has the larger role and soloist Thomas Scurich, a graduate of the Dana School of Music and local music educator, did a terrific job on his two solos. His dark-yet-penetrating voice added an impressive timbre.
Opening chorus
The chorus opened the "Offertory" with a plea to the Lord to "deliver the souls of the departed from the torments of hell, from the bottomless pit." Scurich's colorful voice then entered on "to thee, O Lord, we render our offerings and prayers with praise." His fine solo helped move the mood from suffering to hope.
Scurich started the "Libera Me" section with another beautiful plea for deliverance, and was followed by the stunning "Dies Irae" choral section sung in a dark minor key and supported by fine sustained horns.
Soprano soloist Anne Hagan Bentz, a professor at Westminster with extensive European opera experience, did an adequate job on the "Pie Jesu" section, but her rather wide vibrato marred the performance.
The return to the major mode, beautiful choral singing, and nice use of harp and organ seemed to depict resignation, and made the closing section especially poignant.
The concert opened with "Beethoven's Eighth Symphony," an imaginative and efficient composition. In spite of some viola intonation problems, Davenny Wyner was able to keep a flexible tempo and to create musically-sound, first-movement phrasing. The woodwinds were especially good.
The fast and playfully metronomic second movement really sparkled. All the orchestral sections were excellent here. The trio portion of the minuet was especially lovely in solo clarinet and horns accompanied by interesting cello triplet cross rhythms. The lively sonata-form finale had a beautiful and extended coda.