Parish Church of St. Thomas
22 March 2005

St. George's Singers and Sinfonia performed this classic work in a setting which provided a wonderful backdrop to the music. In name at least there is an interesting parallel to the Thomaskirche in Leipzig where the work had its first performance in 1736. Full marks to the St. George's team responsible for the staging. With two choruses and orchestras, a boys' choir and soloists, the St. Matthew Passion requires careful thought as to the setting out of those forces. St. Thomas's is a spacious church with a lovely bloom to the acoustic. More than that, on Tuesday night it was warm - an important factor for musicians who know only too well how cold fingers can work against a performance.

In this work, Bach has composed not simply accompaniment to arias and choruses but music in which the instruments tell their own part of the story. The St. George's Sinfonia played very well both in ensemble and in those starry moments when soloists or pairs of instruments take leading roles. For the most part, string vibrato was curbed, for which many thanks.

The other leading roles, those of the singers, were very well filled by the soloists on Tuesday night. Each one stepped into their role with a clear sense of the story and their part in telling it and brought a sense of personal connection to the music.

The St. George's Singers provided the connecting tissue that held the whole piece together and were most impressive in that role. The psalmist wrote "sing ye praises with understanding" and this is a choir that understands. There are clearly some very fine voices and good musicians in the chorus, but more importantly, they were absorbed in the parts they played in the drama of the story. And it is that story, familiar and timeless as it is, which must be brought forward and told with absolute conviction. And that sense of conviction brings me to conductor Brian MacKay, the life-force that drove Tuesday's performance.

One key to performing the St. Matthew Passion is pace, and setting that pace is no easy task. There are complicated, operatic moments that require a steady hand and clear direction to guide orchestra, choruses and soloists through. MacKay kept control when control was needed, providing clear leads especially to the choir, enabling all concerned to give the best performance possible. The Matthew Passion is a compelling and inspiring piece and this Holy Week performance was all of that. Bravo to all concerned!

Andrea Rea
"Spectrum", News Letter