St John Passion - Bach
Last Tuesday night's concert by Christ Church Baroque was, by some margin, the most satisfying of the many I have heard from this still-young group. Instead of shifting, unpredictable standards, there was consistency and identity.
One of the most vivid aspects of this performance of Bach's St John Passion was the singing of tenor Andrew Carwood. His flexibility, timing, clarity with words and range of colour animated the Evangelist's recitatives as speech heightened by music. Conor Biggs (bass) had the same qualities, with the dignity and human reality needed for the words of Jesus. Philip O'Reilly complemented them as Pilate and was in reliable form in the bass solos.
O'Reilly's experience and command of detail made him the strongest of the aria soloists. But the contributions of Rachel Talbot (soprano), Cora Newman (contralto) and Robin Tritschler (tenor) were never less than pleasing; and Tritschler's controlled and moving singing of Erwuage justified his rising reputation.
The choir was full-toned and agile, had a wide range of volume, and German diction which was as good as any I have heard from an Irish choir.
In the crowd scenes - always a challenge - conductor Mark Duley kept things moving at a speed which caught the intensity of the exchanges between Pilate and the Jews. He also took the chorales quickly - rather too quickly to accommodate reflection and possible congregational participation.
In the instrumental playing there was a homogeneity which has eluded Christ Church Baroque in the past. The wind players and the continuo group were outstanding. The latter, unconducted, seemed glued to the ever-shifting vocal lines. But the most encouraging aspect of this concert was the main body of strings, which showed some of the security and unanimity one looks for in a period-instrument orchestra.