Conductor: Richard Laing
Organist: Ivan Linford
Dvořák: Mass in D Major :: The Leicester Bach Choir’s summer concert was notable for two things in particular: the imaginative pairing of Parry’s Songs of Farewell with Dvorak’s Mass in D major, and the sheer quality of the performers. We have become used to high standards from the Bach Choir, under the direction of Richard Laing, and this concert was no exception.
The total conviction of My soul, there is a country, with its excellent dynamic contrasts and sense both of urgency and peace, set the tone for the rest of the evening. The pace was nicely varied, with good attention to detail and excellent communication with the conductor. The same was evident in the second song, I know my soul hath power to know all things, and indeed throughout the evening: this is a choir that simply loves producing a good sound, and Richard Laing clearly knows how to draw out the best in them. As with any amateur choir, the result is not perfect, but I would personally trade soulless perfection for human passion any day, linked as the latter was with such excellent word painting (particularly in Never Weather-beaten Sail), the serene confidence of There is an old belief, and the skilful handling of complex harmonies in At the round earth’s imagined corners.
The best of the Parry, though, was saved for the final song, the very atmospheric Lord, let me know mine end. Here the changes of mood were reflected in the dynamics and pace, with a strong sense of anger towards God in the invocation, “Take thy plague away from me” and again really effective word painting as the psalmist laments God making his beauty “to consume away, like as it were a moth fretting a garment”. The tenors were suitably heartfelt in their pleas “For I am a stranger with thee…”
O spare me a little… “And the final well-judged Ritardando brought the first half of the concert to a satisfying close with the spine-chilling words of Psalm 39v13: “before I go hence and be no more seen.”
Clearly none of the audience felt the need to go hence and be no more seen, however, because there was an air of anticipation about the opening of the Dvorak Mass that boded well for the second half of the concert. The Kyrie was serene and well-sustained, with some very effective organ registration from accompanist Ivan Linford. Again, precision was the order of the day, and the Gloria was notable for the bright and exciting opening as well as the crisp clean entries on the fugal sections. The basses were particularly impressive. Some sensitive singing from tenors and basses in Qui Tollis Peccata was matched by the sopranos and altos, and there was a good picking up of pace afterwards for Qui Sedes ad Dexteram Patris, leading to a lively conclusion.
The Credo was full of dramatic contrasts, from the joyful Descendit de coeli to the dreamy et Incarnatus est. While the tuning was slightly rocky in Et homo Factus est, this was well compensated for by the positively Wagnerian Crucifixus and the way you could almost feel the blood dripping during et Sepultus est. After expending all this energy, the quieter Credo in Spiritu Sancto provided a moment of restfulness before the tenors let rip in an excellent Confiteor embellished by a triumphant full organ.
Proving their versatility, the Leicester Bach Choir reined back significantly for the very disciplined Sanctus, demonstrating that something rather like a controlled explosion could be achieved in the Hosanna section. This led to a very effective diminuendo on the organ going into the Benedictus, and further proof that this is a choir that can sing a sustained piano dynamic and keep pitch. The tenors opened the concluding Agnus Dei very sensitively, and there were some long lyrical phrases before the final Dona nobis pacem brought the Mass to a conclusion which can only be described as sublime.
This was indeed an evening to treasure, and I shall certainly look forward to the next season.
Susan Paterson, June 2016