S W AR CY
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Chorusis led with love
Bach’s Mass in'B Minor
soloists were balanced with
Vivace Chorus and the
Brandenburg Sinfonia,
aplomb. The opening Kyrie
was carefully shaped, and the
ing two choral movements
We were treated to such
conductor Jeremy
Backhouse
central 'duet was sung with
were energetic with rhythmic
warmth in the Sanctus and
singing and surprising us all
obvious delight by sopranos,
Alice Privett and Alys Roberts.
vitality. The duet was equally
rich with clear text, shaped
the Osanna was triumphant,
showing how well the Vivace
with a strong firm sound until
the very last note.
The trumpets
cut across the
diligently throughout by the
Chorus can manage the de-
Bravo to the Chorus, solo-
ensemble beautifully in the
Gloria. What was most no-
soloists
Jeremy
mands of two-choir singing.
ists, orchestra and particular-
Backhouse. Et incarnatus est
ticeable was the clarity of the
diction and the carefully
and the powerful Crucifixus
graded dynamics. I particu-
and paced with a sense of the
tortured harmonies. The cho-
The two solos (Benedictus,
Agnus Dei) were two poignant and expressive moments
following
the
intensity
Guildford Cathedral
Rating % * % % %
BACH’S Mass in B minor is a
work of immense symmetry,
beauty and power and Jeremy
Backhouse brought it alive
with a wonderfully firm account of the Credo. The open-
that followed were controlled
everyone’s face, committed
ly to,Jeremy Backhouse.
It
was clearly a labour of love
for Bach to compile this complex work and that love was
evident
Spiritum Sanctum was sung
with an impressive flute solo.
effortlessly
baritone
The final Dona nobis pacem
great
Samuel Queen with the obbligato oboes d’amore parts
showed all that makes the
Vivace
Chorus
such
an
repertoire.
Deus.
half started
enjoyable choir to hear; there
was a sense of enjoyment on
leadership to bring together
rus
second
plangent
Backhouse achieved in the
tween Alice Privett and tenor,
Richard Dowling; their voices
blended well in the Domine
The
fitting
previous choral movements,
larly enjoyed the duet be-
formance on Saturday. to a
tic but the chorus, orchestra
(Brandenburg Sinfonia) and
a
colour.
in
with the Vivace Chorus’ perpacked Guildford Cathedral.
It can be a difficult acous-
and
adding
excelled
here.
by
Et
in
Jeremy’s
strong
an enjoyable evening fof a
work
of
the
choral
Dr Steven Berryman