Mastersingers USA in Central Europe – 2007

Saturday, June 30, 2007
Concert in Budapest with Stella Chamber Choir

The Stella Chamber Choir is a well-respected ensemble, with an extensive sacred and secular repertoire, and widely traveled (including tours to the U.S).  Their director, Joseph Baráz, greeted us warmly and with humor, expressing himself through translations by our own Kevin Moss.  Although he spoke virtually no English and we (except Kevin) no Hungarian, we were drawn to this talented, warm, playful, but fragile elderly man.

Joseph Baráz conducts the Stella Chamber Choir	Mastersinger Kevin Moss translates for Prof. Baráz

They sang beautifully a diverse selection of music.  Certainly one that we will never forget is their performance of "Old Man River."   Their English pronunciation was excellent, and the arrangement (by Prof. Baráz?) was surely the most memorable we have ever heard, except perhaps the classic solo version by Paul Robeson.

There was a touching moment that is worth noting.  Just before "Old Man River," they sang a piece in Hungarian by Zoltán Kodály.  It was a setting of a folk song called "Esti Dal" or "Evening Song."  Those of us sitting toward the front of the church were surprised to see a young woman in the front row of their formation crying as she tried to sing and wiping the tears on her dress.  Was it some personal tragedy that had just entered her life?  Could it be the music itself?  We were all touched and concerned, and Bruce even brought a kleenex up to her during the applause after they had finished singing (which she gratefully accepted).

Afterwards we found that it indeed was the music that had moved her so deeply.  It was the sad prayer of a boy who had run away and was hiding.  In fact, Kevin, the only member of our group who could understand the words, said that they made him cry, too.  Thanks to audio engineer and Mastersinger Bill Domb (and his wife, Ellen), you can listen to "Esti Dal" and follow along with the English translation below:

The variety of their music was a tribute to Stella's versatility.  Imagine our surprise when, for their last piece, Prof. Baráz came out with "a-one-and-a-two-and-a" as they launched into a jazzy version of "My Blue Heaven" that got them all moving to the beat of the music.

Our part of the concert was shortened a bit, and began with parts of our sacred repertoire: the first two movements of the de Kerle "Missa Regina Coelis," "O Vos Omnes," and the Franz Biebl double-chorus setting of "Pater Noster."  The audience received these pieces enthusiastically, occasionally with the rhythmic clapping with which European audiences express special enthusiasm.

This applause seemed to be led by our tour guide Uschi Riha and her son, Marco, who may be our biggest fans in all of Europe.  Uschi's association with our director, Bruce McInnes, goes back as far as tours of the Amherst College Glee Club, when some of us saw Marco as a child.  She was with the Mastersingers USA tours of 1996 and 2000, and it was such a pleasure to be with her again.

The enthusiasm of the audience grew with our spirituals, especially "Roberta Lee" and "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel."  In all, we counted this first of 8 concerts in 9 days a success.

Bruce McInnes directs Mastersingers USA	Both choirs sing Bruckner's "Locus Iste"

We were delighted to discover that there was a piece common to the repertoires of both choirs:  Anton Bruckner's "Locus Iste," so we ended the concert singing that piece together.

After the joint concert, we bussed to a nearby facility, apparently used for the Stella Choir's rehearsals, that included a large gymnasium.  This was to be the site of a reception by our gracious hosts.  Outside the gym, food was spread on a long table -- a variety of distinctly Hungarian dishes which we all enjoyed.

The buffet table	Both choirs singing informally together (Note these are people who know virtually nothing of each other's language.)

Sadly, throughout our meal, our hosts stayed outside while we ate:  perhaps it was the language barrier that kept them from joining us.  But there is no language barrier where music is concerned, and after we had finished eating, they came into the gym and serenaded us with "Deep River" and another Hungarian tune.  Then we joined them in singing the only Hungarian song in our repertoire, "Dana Dana."  Then we sang "Ride the Chariot," Mastersingers USA's signature piece.  Amazingly, they knew the same arrangement and sang along with us.  After this, one song after another was exchanged until it was time for us to leave.  In a final, touching gesture, the members of the Stella Choir came outside to wave "good-bye" as our busses departed.