Review: St Matthew Passion, Leeds Town Hall *****
BACH’S massive yet delicate St Matthew Passion, multi-layered with mysticism, psychological observation and emotional force, is one of the most challenging musical creations ever written.Although a concert hall is not the ideal arena to hear the antiphonal effects of a double orchestra and chorus, this performance by Northern Sinfonia, Leeds Festival Chorus and – in the first half – choristers from Cardinal Heenan Catholic High School and Leeds Parish Church, was itself a stupendous miracle.
Conductor Simon Wright shaped each phrase meticulously while shepherding his huge forces through
the work’s drama and spine-tingling spiritual introspection – few conductors anywhere in the world can achieve this as effectively as Wright.
In the best Lutheran tradition he treated orchestra, chorus and solo voices – instrumental and vocal – as equals. James Gilchrist was a persuasive and passionate Evangelist, and Paul Whelan a heroic Christus among the distinguished solo cohort including Sophie Bevan, Robin Blaze, Andrew Staples and Mark Stone.
Wright had the genius – never too strong a word for this conductor – to connect the listener to Bach’s other worldly and epiphanic moments, particularly the transcendent quartet for flute, two oboes and soprano For Love My Saviour.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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marksavege
Tuesday, April 19, 2011 at 09:34 AMWhere is the rest of the review?
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