ONE of the greatest classical works of all time visited St Mary’s on Saturday and left in its wake a group of musicians fully deserving of all the praise given and a capacity audience who cannot fail to have been impressed and moved in equal measure.
Armonico Consort and Baroque Orchestra, under the direction of Christopher Monks, brought the splendour and power of Bach’s monumental Mass in B Minor in all its magnificence.
Presenting a work as well-embedded in the musical canon as this is not without its challenges.
It’s a work on an enormous scale. Such is the sheer volume of writing here that the audience is awarded an interval in which to recover and regroup the senses, something it’s hard to imagine the tough rigours of 18th century church elders allowing.
And within this extraordinary abundance of music there is such a range of dynamics.
Full-on choruses underpinned by trumpet blasts and percussive thumps threaten to reach out to heaven directly by smashing through the roof; elsewhere there are moments when the full choir manages to sing at a whisper, seemingly with no more power than a single human voice. These are the moments in which Bach, and by extension those who listen, are closest to one form of prayer or another.
Presenting such works, particularly in a space as vast as St Mary’s brings challenges. Particularly when the relative unpredictability of period instruments is thrown into the mix.
Bach’s solo sections, taken here in front of the orchestra and choir, are scored with a paired solo instrument contributing lines as intricate and tricky as the complex vocal lines. And, it has to be said, some were more convincing than others when it came to intonation, precision of detail and simple confidence.
The flute and oboe sections were breathtaking – wonderfully balanced and perfect in tone. Particular mention must also go to the orchestra’s double bass whose underpinning of every section is never less than unrelenting.
The choir, boasting on this occasion a handful of younger members in whose voices the future looks promising, were the true stars. Christopher Monks has this choir singing in such a tight, balanced manner that Bach’s unrivalled counterpoint becomes the sonic equivalent of perfectly woven fabric – all the threads are there but none seems to dominate.
It is almost always uplifting to watch music like this live, to witness very talented, well-directed musicians produce such a great sound. In this case, however, it was less a case of watching music produced, more a case of witnessing musicians utterly experiencing the work, living through everything sung or played. A hugely impressive sight and sound.
Armonico Consort have more concerts lined up in the area. Visit armonico.org.uk for full details.
