Holy Trinity
Review: Tara Werner
Bach's music could be called an enigma. This "musician's musician" wrote scores of matchless contrapuntal complexity. Few have reached the heights he scaled in his complete mastery of counterpoint.
Yet, in direct contrast, he penned many of the most simple, straightforward and yet elegantly memorable melodies in the entire classical repertoire.
It was this vivid contrast that seemed to be at the core of the Auckland Choral Society's concert conducted by Peter Watts last Friday, celebrating 250 years since the composer's death.
All of the choral works selected were challenging indeed. But the wide range of excerpts ended up to be bit of a potpourri.
Whether the attempt at a son-et-lumiere staging was successful must be open to conjecture, since lighting up the cathedral pillars in time to the music in certain pieces looked singularly crass and distracting.
In light of the large musical forces on display, it seemed ironic that the depth of feeling and musicianship shown by a single violinist, playing high above the audience on the left-hand balcony, became the most impressive aspect of this concert.
Lara Hall's interpretation of movements from Partita No 2 in D minor was strikingly beautiful and confident, highlighting a true understanding of the music.
Pity that such confidence was singularly missing in the choir, which sounded at times uneven and uncoordinated. The most problematic examples were the start of the Magnificat and the St John Passion - the latter's dotted rhythms causing a great deal of strife.
More successful were the less demanding chorales scattered throughout the evening, and David Hamilton's Millennium Fanfare, Celebrate the Earth, a contemporary addition, was sympathetically sung.
While the four soloists, soprano Anne Gerbic, contralto Patricia Wackrow, tenor Kenneth Cornish and bass Edward Scorgie sang with alacrity, the solo musicians also impressed.
A strong line-up - organist James Tibbles, flutist Sally Tibbles, bass-player Alberto Santarelli, Bruce Morley (drums) and Peter Watts on piano all performed Bach with real affection.
And the orchestra, a mix of freelance musicians, played credibly as well.
<i>Review:</i> Auckland Choral Society
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