Inspired performance
“T BELIEVE this work to
be a reflection of my
untiring diligence in the
composition of church
music.”
With these words J S
Bach sent a handsomely
engraved copy of a Kyrie
and Gloria to the Elector
of Saxony from whom he
hoped for an appointment.
The music tailor-made
for the brilliant musicians
of the Dresden court, was
never performed during
his lifetime. Last Saturday
these movements, together with those later compiled by Bach to form his
Mass
in
BMinor,
enthralled
a
capacity
audience at Guildford
Cathedral.
It must be said that the
‘ cathedral is not an ideal
venue for such music.
Depending on where you
sat, you could hear every
note twice. The resulting
muffled, unco-ordinated
effect was not a true
reflection of the compelling, incisive performance
given
by
the
Guildford Chamber choir,
the Guildford Camerata,
and __ the
Guildford
Philharmonic Chamber
Orchestra.
Nicholas
Kramer’s
tempi were nicely judged
if sometimes delightfully
surprising:
a rivetting
Credo of considerable
speed, a passionate, full
voiced Crucifixus and a
stunningly athletic Er resurrexit spring to mind
among the choral items.
Where the acoustic permitted it, details in the
orchestral
parts
were
clearly defined, and there
was superb solo playing
from flute (Benedictus),
oboe (Qui sedes), violin
(Laudamus
te),
horn
(Quoniam),
and
high
trumpets cutting through
the texture at climaxes.
Bach’s vocal writing is
as elaborate as that for
instruments but all five
soloists rose magnificently
to the technical challenge
and were well matched in
the duets. Sopranos Julia
Gooding and Jeni. Bern
sang
eloquently
and
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effortlessly; Robin Blaze’s
pure counter tenor voice
rang out to wonderful
effect.
‘Tenor John Bowen sang
sensitively, if occasionally
forced on his highest
notes, but Mark Stone’s
baritone was better suited
to the beautifully phrased
Et in Spiritum
Sanctum
than to.the Quoniam
which requires a richer,
deeper vocal colour.
Among the many high
points were the duets
Domine Deus and Et in
unum in which the singers
copied each other’s tunes
and were in turn copied
by
the
instrumental
soloists.
Acoustic notwithstanding, this performance was
inspired.
Shelagh Godwin
01483)
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