Hogwood Broadens ‘Messiah’ Horizons

As an early music specialist, British conductor Christopher Hogwood has presided over more than his share of performances of Handel’s “Messiah,” including several with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

But when he directs the orchestra’s Christmas concerts tonight, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, there will be nary a “Hallelujah” Chorus to be heard.

“This is a time of year when America is much too ‘Messiah’-minded,” the Nottingham native said by phone from his London home. “It is one of the most popular choral society pieces in England, that’s true, though it turns up more at Eastertime here. I’m concerned that it is the only Handel people hear all year, or the only choral piece. I’d like to broaden people’s horizons a little.”

Hogwood’s choices include two other choral works, Vivaldi’s “Lauda Jerusalem” and familiar “Gloria,” performed by soprano soloists Sylvia McNair and Judith Nelson, mezzo Stephanie Vlahos (replacing the originally scheduled Susan Quittmeyer) and the Los Angeles Master Chorale, plus the composer’s solo motet “Nulla in mundo pax sincera,” sung by McNair.

Also on the program are “Winter” from Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” featuring Philharmonic violinist Tamara Chernyak, Torelli’s Trumpet Concerto in D played by the Philharmonic’s associate principal trumpet Donald Green, and Corelli’s “Christmas” Concerto, Opus 6, No. 8.

He may not be performing the oratorio, but Hogwood does have a “Messiah” video on the market, recorded in 1983 in London’s Westminster Abbey and distributed in the States by Home Vision. But rather than the gargantuan forces associated with the piece, particularly at holiday sing-alongs, the performance utilizes only about 50 singers and instrumentalists because that was the scale on which the work was written in 1741.

That insistence on historical accuracy is a hallmark of the Cambridge-trained conductor/harpsichordist/scholar. He had already been a founder and member of the Early Music Consort of London when in 1973 he created the Academy of Ancient Music.

“I try to get as close as possible to what the composer intended, as far as instrumental proportions, vocal soloists’ sense of style and any other elements,” he said.

“You can be sure of what wasn’t in the original performances by a process of elimination through tutors and surviving instructions,” he added. “But one never claims to be the last word. I think to say a performance is ‘authentic’ can be misleading. Andrew Porter in the New Yorker described me as ‘H.I.P.’--for ‘historically informed performances.’ I thought that was nice.”

Hogwood strives to maintain period sensibilities when conducting symphony orchestras as well. “The L.A. Philharmonic, in fact, was my start in modern orchestral work,” he said. (Philharmonic executive vice president) Ernest Fleischmann brought me to the Hollywood Bowl in 1981 to conduct Bach and Handel, and then I started to do their subscription concerts as well. Adapting was quite interesting--I wanted to learn a lot from a symphony and they were interested in exploring the Baroque and Classical repertoire, so I could give them details and style that maybe they wouldn’t have otherwise had.”

Hogwood’s first love, though, remains his Academy of Ancient Music. He estimates he spends about half his time researching works, performing in London and on extensive international tours, and recording.

The group recently made a music video of “The Four Seasons” and will follow with another of selections by Haydn. “The Vivaldi is still being put together, but there will be a minimum of musicians seen performing in it . . . . I think videos ought to be looking for some form of language that goes beyond just a performance to picture music. I’m intrigued by the possibilities--the sort of treatment MTV does, for instance, that freedom of expression and cutting, but with more lasting music.”

Hogwood’s other plans include his first guest-conducting assignment with the Berlin Philharmonic in January and a return to Southern California in March, for a concert opera performance of Handel’s “Orlando” with the Academy at Ambassador Auditorium.

In discussing these varied activities, he returns one last time to his earlier theme. “There’s nothing wrong in making transferences when doing this music--the problem comes in the labeling. If a work is an arrangement or a transcription, that should be openly declared--if someone is going to use the word ‘authentic’ then the work should be sincere in what it’s doing. The audience has the right to know the pedigree of what’s being performed.”