Review: The St John Passion, Leeds Town Hall, Saturday, March 24, 2018
BACH'S St John Passion is more intensely dramatic than his (considerably longer) St Matthew Passion. The St John's perceived extravagance of style created conflict with Bach's employers - the music council of St Thomas' Church in Leipzig.
The dramatic qualities of this great work were evident in the Leeds Festival Chorus' and English Chamber Orchestra's luminous performance. It was conducted with his innate sense of musical flow and pace by Simon Wright. A complex structure of ariosos and arias, recitatives, choruses and chorales was superbly integrated by Wright.
The lynchpin of the Passion is the mammoth story telling role of the Evangelist. It was indeed fortunate that tenor Nicholas Mulroy was available to step in at extremely short notice for an indisposed James Gilchrist. Mulroy has recorded the Evangelist in both Bach Passions with the acclaimed Dunedin Consort conducted by John Butt. Singing from memory with ravishing tone and subtly coloured declamation of the German text, Mulroy connected with the audience, and with the 120-strong Festival Chorus in the risers above the orchestra of 30.
Exchanges between the Evangelist, Christopher Purves' noble sounding Christus, David Wilson Johnson's equivocal Pontius Pilate and the restive crowd - as voiced by the Festival Chorus - were dramatic and deeply poignant. The razor sharp articulation of the Chorus was at its most vivid in the frenzied Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen (We must not tear this robe).
Wilson Johnson's heart rending bass aria Betrachte, mein Seel (My soul, think how a heavenward guiding flower) was a vocal highlight. The arias allotted to soprano Elin Manahan Thomas, tenor Joshua Ellicott and counter tenor Lawrence Zazzo were beautifully poised. Zazzo's brilliant Es ist vollbracht! (It is accomplished!) pinned me to my seat.
This fresh and uplifting performance of Bach's dramatic, sometimes violent choral masterpiece was underpinned by the sublimely blended English Chamber Orchestra. The chamber organ and harpsichord continuo deserve a special mention.
Geoffrey Mogridge
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