‘Wonderful music-making’
Theresa Caudle’s Burghclere Baroque St John Passion impresses
Burghclere Baroque Ensemble: Bach’s St John Passion conducted by David Stancliffe at the Church of the Ascension, Burghclere, on Sunday April 3
AFTER a highly-successful Messiah just before Christmas, Theresa Caudle’s excellent and ambitious series of baroque concerts in Burghclere continued with another milestone of Western culture.
Since their composition, the role of Bach’s great Passions has changed beyond recognition. Once an integral part of Lutheran worship in Holy Week, they now represent, with Christmas, weddings and funerals, the part-time Christian’s probable only intersection with centuries-old beliefs and rituals. Bach spreads his animated turba choruses and reflective chorales throughout the work to let the vox populi and protestant theology have their say. Former Bishop of Salisbury David Stancliffe marshalled his forces from the outset with a felicitous balance of meditation and drama. On occasions his readings of the action tended towards the staid, and Bach’s post-crucifixion musings with bass, solo cello and chorale (Mein teurer Heiland) did not quite provide the longed-for vision of Lutheran paradise, but the salient message of the work was throughout given with unerring assurance.
The cult of the star evangelist has, in recent times, marred many a performance, but Cambridge-raised evangelist Hugo Hymas narrated Luther’s exalted translation of St John’s gospel simply and directly, relishing his many melismas, and delivering a deeply affecting account of Peter’s denial. The sweet sound of his cello and chamber organ accompaniment (as well as Miriam Nohl’s quietly resigned bass viol) confirmed how perfectly suited the church is for the music of this era. The young soloists from the consort are well on their way to mastering Bach’s tricky vocal writing. Bass Florian Störtz impressed with his compelling conviction and wonderfully idiomatic German.
Ben Rowarth looked about the right age for Christ (how can any mortal be asked to play this role?) and successfully forged a sonorous path between the human and the eternal. How wonderful to have musicmaking of this quality embedded in our villages round about. We look forward to further offerings from this fine initiative in Burghclere.
Former Bishop of Salisbury David Stancliffe marshalled his forces from the outset with a felicitous balance of meditation and drama