Russian-born conductor Semyon Bychkov. Photo by Thomas Kost.
Russian-born conductor Semyon Bychkov. Photo by Thomas Kost. ( Thomas Kost )

SAN FRANCISCO -- Benjamin Britten's "War Requiem" begins with otherworldly sounds: distant bells and rustles, the hesitations and sighs of the orchestra, the shaded singing of two choruses, including a children's choir, both ghostly and angelic. There's a sense of hush and peace, but not quite -- for something at the center of the world is askew, off-balance; peace is trying to assert itself, to set things right.

The triumph of Wednesday's "War Requiem" at Davies Symphony Hall -- where conductor Semyon Bychkov led the San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, the Pacific Boychoir and three fine soloists -- lay in its heartbreaking poise across 85 minutes, maintaining that delicate and dignified sense of seeking after peace, the elusive ideal. Piloted by Bychkov, the performance -- the first of two; the program repeats Saturday -- was both a long mourner's prayer and a pursuit, its goal tragically just out of reach.

Britten's great pacifist statement was premiered in 1962 in Coventry, England, where it consecrated a new cathedral on the site of one that had been destroyed by German bombing during World War II. Born 100 years ago in Suffolk during World War I, Britten designed his "War Requiem" to ask a big existential "Why?" Why war? Why death? Why the loss of boys in battle? -- "half the seed of Europe, one by one," as stated by poet Wilfred Owen, whose verse is set by Britten in alternation with the Latin text of the Requiem mass.

Programming this work during the Thanksgiving weekend feels like a call to attention: Time to take stock of the bigger issues, people. There's more to this world than Black Friday consumerism.


Britten's work strives to present a minicosmos. Two male soloists -- a tenor (James Gilchrist) and baritone (Roderick Williams), enemies in war -- sing Owen's verse to the accompaniment of a chamber orchestra. The instrumental commentary often is stark and startling with its spare beauties for winds, harp, percussion and a handful of strings -- and awfully quiet, like a battlefield in the aftermath of the fighting.

Conductor Semyon Bychkov. Photo by Thomas Brill/San Francisco Symphony.
Conductor Semyon Bychkov. Photo by Thomas Brill/San Francisco Symphony. ( Thomas Brill/San Francisco Symph )

Then there is a soprano (Christine Brewer), singing with a second, full-sized orchestra and mixed chorus, presenting portions of the Latin Mass. Finally, there is the children's choir, also singing the Latin, and symbolizing the world of angels -- conveying a dose of much-needed hope and innocence. This weekend, the Pacific Boychoir, directed by Kevin Fox, is unseen, as it sings offstage; Wednesday, it performed exquisitely, infusing the hope with ghostly sadness.

Bychkov drew these forces through the advancing drama, even at tempos so slow that time practically seemed to stop, mimicking eternity. There were occasional balance issues during the requiem's stormier episodes, within the full orchestra's strings or between the orchestra and Brewer. But these are quibbles; it was a commanding and evocative performance, and never more so than during those stark, quiet moments.

I'm thinking especially of the gauzy, faraway textures achieved by the San Francisco Symphony Chorus (directed by Ragnar Bohlin) during the "Dies irae," as well as the agile, pure-toned and grippingly expressive performance throughout the requiem by tenor Gilchrist. If there was a star of the show, he was it, starting with his first question: "What passing-bells for those who die as cattle?"

Brewer, at other times shrill in her high register, was splendid alongside the chorus during the "Lacrimosa," Britten's almost unbearably haunting lamentation. Much later, following the sad queries of clarinet (Carey Bell) and bassoon (Stephen Paulson), Williams gathered up his baritone's darkest colors to make a simple statement: "I am the enemy you killed, my friend," he sang to the tenor beside him.

The world was still askew.


Benjamin Britten's 'War Requiem'

San Francisco Symphony and Chorus, Semyon Bychkov, conductor
When: 8 p.m. Saturday
Tickets: $56-$171; 415-864-6000,