A spirited and spiritual performance

BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales, St David’s Hall, Cardiff

Conventional wisdom in the world of music maintains that Bach’s St John Passion is the cruder cousin of the composer’s more profound, soulsearching St Matthew Passion.

This engrossing and often deeply moving account of the St John Passion questioned that view and demonstrated that its growing reputation as a supremely important work is well deserved.

It’s increasing popularity may be due to our culture which demands immediate, action-packed drama which is relatively short and easy to understand.

This performance by the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales was certainly all of those things. Betrayal, suffering, sacrifice and hope were explored and ultimately resolved in an interpretation that was emotionally charged and spiritually satisfying.

Conducted by Bach scholar John Butt, the performance moved along at the pace of a top-quality film or television thriller. But Mr Butt ensured there was always time and space for deep appreciation and contemplation of the powerful beauty of the music.

Conducting from the harpsichord, Mr Butt harnessed his relatively small resources to produced an insightful and beautifully balanced interpretation of the work, written for Good Friday in 1724.

There was plenty that was theatrical about this intimate performance, not least in the splendid performance by tenor Gwilym Bowen as the Evangelist.

But this was also a performance marked by technical precision and concentration on the spiritual and devotional heart of the work.

The Chorus of Wales was brilliant throughout, ensuring the tension ebbed and flowed as the story developed.

Bass David Soar, soprano Elizabeth Watts, countertenor Williams Towers, tenor Nick Pritchard and bass-baritone Ashley Riches combined to give a wonderfully balanced interpretation which captured and kept the attention of the audience. There was also some beautiful solo playing and a haunting passage featuring orchestra leader Lesley Hatfield and cellist Sarah McMahon which will live in the memory.

Peter Collins