MUSIC REVIEWS : YMF, UCLA CHORAL UNION PERFORM VERDI REQUIEM

Under the terms of its residency at UCLA, the Young Musicians Foundation Debut Orchestra performs once every three years with the UCLA Choral Union, the six-organization, massed chorus of university singers.

In 1986, the resulting concert, employing 67 instrumentalists from Debut and 233 members of the Choral Union, took place Sunday night in Royce Hall. After an orchestral warm-up via Haydn’s Symphony No. 49, the musicians-in-training attempted to scale the heights of Verdi’s Requiem.

It was a musically solid amalgamation. Led by UCLA choral chief William Hatcher, all these young musicians gave well-tuned, stylistically informed performances.

A few impure vowel sounds late in the evening notwithstanding, the choral contributions were mellow, precise and accurate. And the YMF players achieved splendid support, cohesive ensemble and high-quality solos. Except for some moments of too-careful, undramatic pacing, Hatcher’s reading showed respect for the Verdian line and an appreciation of its myriad details.

The four guest soloists made an unbalanced quartet. Soprano Delcina Stevenson sang with her usual authority and purity of tone. Lou Robbins’ solid mezzo-soprano made its textual points, but was sometimes swamped by the orchestra. Tenor Roger Patterson produced handsome sounds in a context of unfocused musicality. Peter Atherton’s grainy basso usually failed to cut through the instrumental fabric.

At the top of the program, YMF conductor-in-training Lucas Richman led a motivated, if heavy-textured, reading of the Haydn work.