MUSIC; In (and Around) a Giant's Footsteps

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MUSIC; In (and Around) a Giant's Footsteps

WHEN Robert Shaw conducted a chorus, he fashioned it into a precision instrument capable of the most translucent pianissimo, the creamiest legato, the slowest diminuendo and the most crystalline diction. His lifelong pursuit of exacting musical standards changed expectations for choral music. His interpretations -- unfailingly meticulous and vigorous in orchestral as well as choral repertory -- can be heard on many recordings, including more than 40 with the Atlanta Symphony, which he led for 21 years, beginning in 1967.

Descended from a father and two grandfathers who were Protestant ministers, Shaw became an evangelist not only for choral singing but also for his patented vocal warm-up and rehearsal techniques, which he passed on in an annual series of workshops at Carnegie Hall, beginning in 1990. When he died in 1999, at 82, he was justifiably hailed as the most innovative choral conductor of the century.

But to what extent have Shaw's innovations in choral singing outlived him? Did he in fact establish a continuing tradition? And if so, aside from precision, what does it entail?

The Collegiate Chorale, which was founded by Shaw in 1941 and is celebrating its 60th anniversary, will address such questions this week. On Tuesday, the chorale presents a symposium and master class at the Mannes College of Music. And on Wednesday, it offers a concert at Carnegie Hall with the Orchestra of St. Luke's, pairing Brahms's ''German Requiem,'' a Shaw standby, with Ned Rorem's ''Now, Voyager,'' in its premiere performance. Robert Bass, the chorale's music director, conducts.

The chorale claims to be ''making music in the Shaw tradition.'' But in a recent rehearsal and a subsequent conversation with Mr. Bass, it became clear that only select elements of the Shaw tradition remain. Mr. Bass, 48, says he has his own ideas about how to shape the chorale's sound. For one thing, he programs operatic repertory regularly during the group's annual three-concert series at Carnegie.

''I have a different approach,'' he said. ''I call it 'the glory of the human voice.' Every singer has many colors. You do operas by Verdi and Richard Strauss. Those kinds of things take the human voice into healthy directions and expand what you can do in choral singing.''

By JOHANNA KELLER, The New York Times - November 25, 2001