How to approach the St John Passion? Certainly, I feel lucky to have experienced two proportions of epic power in recent years: Masaaki Suzuki and the Collegium Musicum Japan in this very hall (tied in with BIS’s “Köln recording”) and in Ton Koopman’s performance at St Astier, France. Both left indelible imprints, Suzuki for the sheer pain of the dissonances in the opening chorus, Koopman for the last full chorus, “Ruht woh, ih Heiligen Gebeine” (Lie in peace, sacred body), a movement there approached with the structural-harmonic mastery available to only the greatest conductors.
Both of those performances used authentic instruments and practices as does the Academy of Ancient Music. While I associate Laurence Cummings with excellence in Handel, his Bach, on this evidence, is rather different: this was one of the swiftest St Johns I have heard. One of the losses was central to the effect of the chorales: Cummings left little, if any, space between phrases, leaving them rather relentless, even breathless, in impact. Against this was a pervading sense of urgency, itself emphasized by the crystal-clear enunciation of Evangelist Nicholas Mulroy who performed the role from memory. Every word was audible, each nuance of meaning underlined; his Jesus was the strong bass, Dingle Yandell. This latter singer’s excellence as a member of VOCES8 was never in doubt; he is now risen to rank of fine soloist in his own right, his voice strong and authoritative. His confidence at “Redest di das con dir selbs” (Sayest thou this thing o thyself?) exemplified his approach, while his “Mein Reich ist nicht von dieser Welt” (My kingdom is not of this world) was hyper-accurate, even within rapid melisma. The lowest end of his range is particularly firm, his slurs impeccable.
Cummings directed, standing, from the harpsichord; an organ was present (Alastair Ross), and recitatives certainly gained from the variety of colour available.
Helen Charlston rarely if ever disappoints; her “Von der Stricken meinder Sünden” (From the bondage of transgression) was a real highlight, as was “Es ist vollbract!” (It is finished) where she was joined by the luxury casting of Reiko Ichise on viola da gamba, on top form. Charlston’s voice contrasted nicely against Carolyn Sampson’s beautifully bright soprano (Sampson’s “Ich folge dir gleichfals” a case in point, heard here in a delightfully lilting interpretation). Tenor Ed Lyon brought real vitality to the angular lines of “Ach, mein Sinn” (Ah, my soul).
The soloists taken from the choir were uniformly excellent; a special mention perhaps for Cressida Sharp’s Maid, her voice gleaming, while tenor Graham Neal absolutely gave his all as the Servant. And there was no doubting the technical excellence of the AAM choir, either, a collective capable of anything, it seems (the light staccato of “Bist du nicht seiner Jünger einer?” – Art not thou one of his disciples? – phenomenally rendered). As Pilate, Jonathan Brown carried real authority, while in the aria “Betrachte, mein Seel” (Consider, O my soul) he excelled against the two violas d’amore of Bojan Cicic and Persephone Gibbs.
A St John Passion of many highlights, certainly, but not one that coalesced, to my ears at least, into a single entity.
Colin Clarke
Johann Sebastian Bach
St John Passion (1749 version)
Nicholas Mulroy (Evangelist); Dingle Yandell (Cristus); Carolyn Sampson (soprano); Helen Charlston (alto); Ed Lyon (tenor); Jonathan Brown (bass); Academy of Ancient Music; Laurence Cummings (director/harpsichord)
Barbican Hall, London, 18 April 2025
Photo: © Mark Allan (AAM at the Barbican in a previous concert)