REVIEW
Bach B Minor Mass (November 2014)
One of the most amazing aspects of Bach's B minor Mass is that for a work which presents such a plethora of performance challenges, it remains such a popular work with choirs and audiences alike. It could be this challenge itself that draws musicians to this immense work as well as the sublime moments of musical genius within; and on Saturday 29th November, the audience that packed St John's Church was treated to an engaging and extremely well planned performance of this seminal work.
Conducted with skill and clarity by Laurence Blyth, the choir demonstrated considerable skill and interpretational insight, from the opening chords of the Kyrie to the sinuous contrapuntal lines of the 'Dona Nobis Pacem' . Indeed, the powerful opening chords of the first chorus were sung with a strength and gravitas that very much laid out the Choir’s intentions. Bach was criticised in his own time for complex writing that made little concession to the performer and the B minor Mass contains a number of movements which fall into this bracket; the ‘Cum Sancto’ and ‘Credo’ present multiple challenges but nevertheless, the Choir confidently went about these movements. Tempi had been carefully considered and the clarity of textures was accentuated by detailed attention to diction and clear ends of phrases.
The concert benefitted greatly from the presence of eight talented soloists – it is very encouraging to see how much musical talent is available locally. They performed the solo and ensemble items with a very high level of musicianship and professionalism. The sopranos Josie Walledge and Daisy Walford set the standard high with a superb rendition of the ‘Christe Eleison’ but the rest of the soloists rose to the challenge. The ‘Domine Deus’ duet glided smoothly along with its obligato flute whilst the performance of ‘Crucifixus’ subtly highlighted its anguished dissonances. These fine performances were beautifully rounded off by a moving performance of the ‘Agnus Dei’ sung by countertenor Tim Carleston.
It was clear to hear that a lot of thought had gone into the presentation of the work as a whole, from the presentation of the chorus items to the balance between the soloists and choir and orchestra; this was evident throughout the performance.
Whilst the B Minor Mass is available in any number of recordings which are easily accessible, there is still no escaping the grandeur of this work that is only present in a live performance. This was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of music making, highlighting both the commitment of the choir and the rightful place of this masterpiece in the choral repertoire.
Ed Jenkins
Conducted with skill and clarity by Laurence Blyth, the choir demonstrated considerable skill and interpretational insight, from the opening chords of the Kyrie to the sinuous contrapuntal lines of the 'Dona Nobis Pacem' . Indeed, the powerful opening chords of the first chorus were sung with a strength and gravitas that very much laid out the Choir’s intentions. Bach was criticised in his own time for complex writing that made little concession to the performer and the B minor Mass contains a number of movements which fall into this bracket; the ‘Cum Sancto’ and ‘Credo’ present multiple challenges but nevertheless, the Choir confidently went about these movements. Tempi had been carefully considered and the clarity of textures was accentuated by detailed attention to diction and clear ends of phrases.
The concert benefitted greatly from the presence of eight talented soloists – it is very encouraging to see how much musical talent is available locally. They performed the solo and ensemble items with a very high level of musicianship and professionalism. The sopranos Josie Walledge and Daisy Walford set the standard high with a superb rendition of the ‘Christe Eleison’ but the rest of the soloists rose to the challenge. The ‘Domine Deus’ duet glided smoothly along with its obligato flute whilst the performance of ‘Crucifixus’ subtly highlighted its anguished dissonances. These fine performances were beautifully rounded off by a moving performance of the ‘Agnus Dei’ sung by countertenor Tim Carleston.
It was clear to hear that a lot of thought had gone into the presentation of the work as a whole, from the presentation of the chorus items to the balance between the soloists and choir and orchestra; this was evident throughout the performance.
Whilst the B Minor Mass is available in any number of recordings which are easily accessible, there is still no escaping the grandeur of this work that is only present in a live performance. This was a thoroughly enjoyable evening of music making, highlighting both the commitment of the choir and the rightful place of this masterpiece in the choral repertoire.
Ed Jenkins