REVIEW

St Matthew Passion

By Spencer Allman

The last of the July evening sun streamed through the magnificent stained class of Hereford Cathedral as the Three Cathedral Choirs and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment under Geraint Bowen began the nigh-on three-hour musical journey that is J.S.Bach’s St Matthew Passion.

The opening bars of the work immediately plunge the listener into a world of tragedy. The last days of Christ is a serious business for Bach, a very devout man. But how can he sustain the inherent sadness of the story for such a long period without inducing boredom or feelings of wretchedness?

Whilst the Evangelist (on this occasion exquisitely performed by James Oxley) delivers the biblical narrative, the events are commented on by means of a series of arias, often with varying solo instrumental accompaniment.

A third dimension is the choir, which has the dual role of expressing the reaction of the audience and representing the braying crowd calling for Christ’s death. The music, however, runs the gamut of emotions, and its often light scoring and even jaunty melodic lines together make for what must be one of the most uplifting musical works in the choral repertoire.

The performance on Tuesday 28 July, sung in German and virtually sold out, was stunning. Potential problem areas, such as tempi, were resolved splendidly. Bach is a challenge at the best of times, and the instrumental writing is often just as virtuosic as the vocal parts.

The line-up of soloists, who included the astonishing countertenor, William Towers, was nothing less than a privilege to hear. Bach often calls for an extension to the vocalists’ natural range, but nothing proved taxing for these true professionals. Among them were the soprano Elizabeth Watts (the only female voice on stage tonight) and baritone Roderick Williams.

The choir, in which boys took the higher parts, used the acoustics of the cathedral to maximum effect, delivering a fulsome sound that was sometimes spine-chilling.

The orchestral players, performing on ancient instruments, often had star roles. Let us only hope that their brave efforts to compete with the powerful voices alongside them comfortably reach the ears of the Radio 3 audience when it is broadcast.

Full details of the Three Choirs programme at 3choirs.org