St Matthew Passion
JS Bach
The Bach Choir
London Youth Choirs
Florilegium
Conductor: David Hill
Soloists: Toby Spence, Neal Davies, Lucy Crowe, Carolyn Dobbin, Benjamin Hulett, Christiopher Purves
Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre
08 March 2026
I am a religious unbeliever. JS Bach was a deeply committed Lutheran. One thing that Herr Bach and I was agree on, however, is that this is one of the most intensely powerful narratives of all times and all cultures. Why else has it absorbed musicians (and other artists) since the stories were first set down in the first century AD through mediaeval carols to Handel, Bach, Andrew Lloyd Webber and many more? The fascination is timeless, endless and cuts through all points of view,
And St Matthew Passion, which requires two chamber orchestras, two choirs plus a ripieno choir, organ and six soloists is one of the most tenderly grandiloquent accounts of it ever written. The staunchness of Bach’s beliefs are there but so is the drama of a good story well told which is why there’s something here for everybody.
The Bach choir, marking its sesquicentennial this year, performs St Matthew Passion annually and has a long tradition of no applause until the very end which is very welcome. If only this respect would spread to other works (such as symphonies) in other concerts. David Hill had the huge forces completely under his hands and coaxed the crispest possible diction and a whole range of dynamic and harmonic richness from the choir which is seated on three sides above the orchestra. “Loose him! Leave Him! Bind it Not!” was incisively operatic and every chorale was sung with warmth and immaculate control right through to the poignancy of the final pianissimo G minor chord. And it’s a treat to see and hear the London Youth Choirs, resplendent in turquoise tee shirts, contributing so ably.
The starry lineup of six solists were seated mostly behind the orchestra with Toby Spence as Evangelist next to the organ immediately in front of David Hill. From time to time they moved to the front but sometimes sang from within or beyond the orchestra and it was pretty effective placing. Of these Spence (tenor) gave a marvellous performance – moving and dramatic with every and every note placed with precision and clarity. And, always good value, Christopher Purves, in his trademark black kilt, gave the baritone voices, especially Judas, all the dark brown resonance you could wish for.
Full marks too, to Florilegium. Working, as the piece requires, as two orchestras, they played with enjoyable mellowness on their period instruments. The flute and oboe continuos (with players standing) were especially lovely and there was plenty of fine work from strings, especially double basses.
I see, and review, a great deal of heavily amplified musical theatre. It’s reassuring to see a performance as stunningly able to fill a large auditorium as this without a radio mic in sight. Long live “classical” training.
