Strange, perhaps, to begin a review of a choral concert with praise for the orchestra, but the sheer crispness and elan of the London Baroque Sinfonia set the tone for an enrichingly confident performance from the Birmingham Bach Choir.
Paul Spicer鈥檚 easy, relaxed conducting comes from a background of assiduous rehearsal and instinctive trust in the musicianship of his forces, and the results are exhilarating.
Bach cantatas introduced each half, 鈥淣un ist das Heil und die Kraft鈥 somewhat thin in exposed lines but sonorous in chording, 鈥淒er Himmel lacht!鈥 offering little choral fodder but revealing the talents of obbligato oboist Gail Hennessy, whose solos made such an important contribution to the entire programme.
We heard two major works. Handel鈥檚 early, Italianate Dixit Dominus was given with sprightly tempi, pungent articulation from the choir, and with a huge degree of dynamic subtlety under Spicer鈥檚 persuasive direction.
And we ended with a Bach masterpiece, the Magnificat, terse, concise, and brimming with character to which Spicer鈥檚 choristers responded idiomatically. The quintet of soloists was never less than efficient, and some took their opportunities to soar.
Outstanding were tenor Julian Gregory, his Deposuit ringing with virtuosic venom, and baritone (surely he is becoming more of a bass?) Tristan Hambleton, who throughout the evening encompassed Bach鈥檚 gymnastic demands with consummate aplomb.
Add to all this the gracious welcome from Cathedral Dean Catherine Ogle, and this proved indeed a wonderful evening dedicated to the memory of Stanley Sellers, a great supporter of the Birmingham Bach Choir, and a fitting celebration of this elegant building鈥檚 tercentenary.
