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Date 26 March 2005 Venue Orpheum Theatre

Reviewer: June Heywood

 

B MINOR MASS by J. S. BACH

Vancouver Chamber Choir Trinity Western University Chamber Singers CBC Radio Orchestra

Conductor Jon Washburn Soprano Suzie LeBlanc Alto Anita Krause Tenor Colin Balzer Bass Daniel Lichti

JS Bach
Good Friday is the holiest day in the Christian calendar. For many in The Orpheum's audience, listening to Johann Sebastian Bach's Mass in B minor was a spiritual experience. The Mass has four basic liturgical elements.

The Kyrie acknowledges the consciousness of sin. Conductor Jon Washburn opened the performance by leading in the choir and strings in a subdued, penitent mood. The Gloria affirms human peace and harmony through Christ.

The second element was louder, faster, and more joyous as expressed by timpani and brass. Bass Daniel Lichti gave a full-bodied solo aria. The choir came in with a spirited burst of joy then the sweet, youthful, soprano voice of Suzie LeBlanc blended with violins in an aria of praise.

The Credo is a declaration of belief that professes the Christian Church as "a humanly operating institution proceeding from Christ". In the Gloria's final chorus, the voices performed a musical dance with the tenors leading in, followed by the alto, then sopranos, and finally basses.

The Credo continued the dance with the tenors leading, followed by the basses, altos, and sopranos. The second choral piece portrayed solemnity with monotone, repetitive, notes.

The final chorus in this element ranged from slow melancholy to fast, bright hopefulness. Mr Balzer sang his final aria, with flute solo, with clear diction. He hit the high notes and expressed feeling.

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The fourth and final element of the Mass encompasses the Sanctus, Benedictus, and the Agnus Dei. It represents the memorial supper taken by Jesus and his disciples in a secret room.

It celebrates the union and blessing of the Christian Church with its namesake. And, finally, it states that the Lamb of God takes away sin and grants peace. Ms Krause sang the Agnus Dei with great sensitivity.

Her high notes were clear. Her performance was moving as her voice quietly faded away on the word "pacem" to the subdued bowing of the strings.

The soloists gave satisfying performances. At the end of the Credo, the augmented choir showed that they could have had more time to practice. But overall they exhibited their well-deserved, fine reputation.

The CBC Radio Orchestra was enhanced by its brass, woodwind, and large stringed instruments.

Especially notable was double bass player, Mr Brown. His pizzicato and bowing kept up a secure and reliable beat to centre the strings.

In a traditional way, Maestro Washburn led the singers and instrumentalists with a steady baton in this challenging, deeply religious masterpiece by J. S. Bach.

© 2005 June Heywood

 

 

 

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