Review  of  TCS’s  and  Taunton  SInfonietta’s  performance  of  Bach’s  Orchestral  Suite  No.3  in  D  and  The  Christmas  Oratorio  –  Saturday  5th  December  2015  

Choral  Delight  

It   was   a   joy   to   see   St.   James’s   Church   packed   to   capacity   for   Taunton   Choral   Society’s   concert   last  Saturday,  conducted  by  Stephen  Bell.    The  choir  was  accompanied  by  the  Taunton  Sinfonietta,  their  usual  strings  being  augmented  by  woodwinds,  baroque  trumpets  and  timpani.        The   evening   began   with   Bach’s   Orchestral   Suite   No.   3   in   D   and   the   ensemble   produced   a   thrillingly  authentic  baroque  sound.    The  brass  was  a  bit  overpowering  in  the  first  few  bars,  but  things  soon  settled  down   and   the   orchestral   balance   from   then   on   was   very   well   controlled.       Leader   Mary   Eade’s   solo  contribution  was  outstanding   in  the  overture  and  also  throughout  the  evening.     In   the   famous   ‘Air’   the  string   tone  was   a   little  wiry   at   the   start,   but   improved   as   the  piece  went   on.     The   two  Gavottes  were  played  with   great   energy,  with   an   excellently   balanced   sound,   although   there  were   a   few   fluffs   in   the  brass.       In   the  final  Gigue,   the  work  romped  to  a  rumbustious   finish,   full  of   fizz  and  the  dynamics  were  expertly  controlled  by  Stephen.    Bach’s  ‘Christmas  Oratorio’  was  not  written  as  one  continuous  work;  it  is  six  separate  cantatas  telling  the  Christmas  story,  designed  to  be  performed  over  a  span  of  days  leading  up  to  Christmas.     In  this  concert  we  heard  Parts  I,  II  and  III  complete,  and  two  movements  from  Part  VI.    The  choir  was  joined  by  soloists  Isabel  Evans  (soprano),  Louise  Innes  (mezzo),  Rupert  Charlesworth  (tenor)  and  Philip  Tebb  (bass).        The  choral  opening  was  full  of  confidence,  with  a  solid  and  rich  sound.    The  choir’s  articulation  in  the  runs  was  not  of  the  best  to  start  with,  but  as  they  warmed  up  they  became  more  focussed  and  their  intonation  improved.    Throughout,  the  choral  sound  in  the  Lutheran  chorale  sections  was  well  balanced,  the  vastly  outnumbered  tenors  punching  well  above  their  weight!    Rupert  Charlesworth   is  no  stranger   to  Taunton  and  has  appeared  several   times  with  the  Choral  Society  and   other   ensembles.     His   performance   in   this   concert,   whether   in   recitative   or   tuneful   aria,   was  outstanding.    His  diction,  phrasing  and  vocal  colouration  were  utterly  superb.    He   is  a  performer  of  the  highest   calibre.     So   too   is   Louise   Innes  who   sang  with   great  musical   intelligence,   lovely  phrasing  and  a  complete  mastery  of  dynamics.    Philip  Tebb  is  a  fine  bass  and  he  handled  all  of  Bach’s  demands  well.      I  thought   his   tone   became   a   little   nasal   and   plummy   in   the   upper   register,   but   overall   this   was   a   fine  performance.      His  duet  aria  with  Isabel  was  lovely,  the  singers  well  balanced  with  the  orchestra  and  each  other.     Sadly   Bach   gave   the   soprano   very   little   to   do   in   this   work,   but   Isabel   made   the   most   of   her  opportunities,  singing  with  clear  tone  and  good  musicianship.  The  Sinfonietta  produced  a  sound  to  be  proud  of.    I  particularly  enjoyed  the  well  known  ‘Sinfonia’  at  the  start  of  Part  II  and  their  handling  of  the  rapid  passages  in  the  opening  of  Part  III  (‘Lord  of  Creation’)  was  terrific.      The  large  chorus  gave  their  all,  to  great  effect.    Bach  was  occasionally  nasty  to  his  sopranos,  and  the  opening  of  the  choral  ‘We  sing  to  Thee,  almighty  King’  is  written  cruelly  high.    The  ladies  rose  to  the  occasion!    Yes,   there   were   odd   moments   during   the   evening   where   pitch   or   tempo   slipped,   but   these   were  insignificant  compared  to  the  total  of  what  was  achieved.    We  heard  a  baroque  masterpiece  performed  with   enthusiasm   and   great   conviction;   Stephen   Bell   and   everyone   involved   should   take   pride   in   the  evening.    Harold  W.  Mead