SCO and Chorus shine with rare Beethoven sacred work

There is clear evidence that Beethoven was not a religious man, at least not until his later life.

Thus, there are only three overtly religious works in his entire output. One is an oratorio, one is his C minor Mass and the other is his Missa Solemnis.

The latter work is one of his greatest creations, and while only 80 minutes long it stands scrutiny alongside other longer sacred works. Performances of it are rare so I seized on a chance to hear the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Chorus at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh.

High expectation was met with high reward, as choir and orchestra took firm control of Beethoven’s highly-charged and often theatrical composition and delivered a performance that was as potent as the music.

In fact, it was the whole package that made this a special night with four stellar soloists adding to the mix. This “mix” manifested itself on two particular occasions, the Gloria and the Benedictus.

In Gloria, the colours flow, the atmosphere changes with alacrity with conductor John Storgards leading the way with astute interpretation.

The Benedictus is more gentle, soothing but no less appealing. The wonderful violin solo that hovers over whispered chorus and interjecting solos is sheer bliss.

Throughout the whole performance, no matter what the mood, the SCO chorus were what they always are – smart, efficient, well-balanced and every inch the perfect ensemble.

The soloists Willis-Sorensen, Cargill, Ovenden and Davies are perhaps the best foursome I’ve come across, their delivery and projection were excellent.

And the SCO? It’s a challenging score but a walk in the park for this superb, skilled and individually virtuosic unit. Tremendous!