Bach's inspirational St Matt-hew Passion, set to the most profound subject of all time, and sung in German, was given an assured interpretation by William Boughton as he conducted the ESO and St Michael's Singers, together with a commanding group of soloists.
Of these, Harry Nicoll as Evangelist narrated clearly, and Gavin Carr as Christus endowed words with warmth and sincerity. Counter-tenor William Towers, his voice suited admirably to this work, brought intense emotion to Ach, Golgotha (Alas, Golgotha). The scourging of O Geisselung, o Schlag.... (O scourging, O blows...), and the whipping accompanying strings in the aria which followed Oh, so nehmt mein Herz hinein (O, then take my heart) was tortuous.
Other excellent soloists were soprano Alison Smart, tenor Philip Sheffield and bass Jeremy White, their arias decorated sometimes with instrumental obligatos played superbly.
Chorales were phrased and sung with propriety, pauses observed and intonation very good. Choruses too were balanced, having some fine high sopranos, and accurate generally. Occasionally stronger entry attacks as at Der du den Tempel Gottes zerbrichst (Thou that destroyest the temple) and Wo ist denn dein Freund hingegangen? (Whither has thy friend gone?) were needed.
The final chorus Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder (We sit down and weep) was regrettably lack-lustre in expression and taken rather too quickly, but having performed for three and a half hours, perhaps tiredness was taking over.
All in all this had been a beautiful Lenten musical experience, embracing both Bach's supremacy of composition and the transcendental advents of the text. Jill Hopkins
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