James Gilchrist: tenor Evangelist in Yorkshire Bach Choir’s St John Passion
CONDUCTOR Peter Seymour opted for a slower tempo in the opening chorus “Herr, unser Herrscher”.
While this had obvious merit – polyphonic transparency, clearly layered choral entries, crisp articulation of the text, and finely judged orchestral detail – it lost dramatic intent: the relentless drive and sense of agitation that a quicker tempo – think John Eliot Gardiner – can bring.
It is, of course, a trade-off: solemnity versus torment. And then something quite remarkable happened: James Gilchrist.
His tenor Evangelist proved the dramatic engine of the Passion. From the opening recitative, “Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern,” he established the narrative with urgency and clarity. Particularly effective were the razor-sharp exchanges with the chorus, as the crowd – here the soldiers – interject in “Jesum von Nazareth!”
One of the most powerful Evangelist moments in Part I is the recitative “Da verleugnete Petrus abermal” – Peter’s denial – a secco recitative for tenor with continuo accompaniment. The rising tension was palpable.
This is followed by the cock crow, conveyed through the text, and then the shock of silence. What ensued was a remarkable depiction of Peter’s emotional collapse in “Und ging hinaus und weinete bitterlich”, again with no string or wind support.
A standout passage of Part II was Gilchrist’s delivery of “Und neigte das Haupt und verschied”. This is the climactic narrative moment of the Passion: after all the drama – indeed, all the operatic intensity – it is over. The music stops.
Gilchrist also shaped the work’s pivotal theatrical moments with real authority: the mob’s blunt rejection in “Nicht diesen, sondern Barrabam!”; the biting, almost grotesque sarcasm of “Sei gegrüßet, lieber Jüdenkönig!”; and, most strikingly, the escalating hysteria of “Kreuzige! Kreuzige!”. In each case, his framing of these interruptions ensured the narrative never lost momentum.
The voice of the choir in the chorales throughout is that of communal reflection: the exact opposite of mob rule. Personally, I felt the tempi were a touch brisk; I missed a sense of real stillness. That said, they were confidently performed. The final chorus, “Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine”, with its warm, reassuring harmonies and gently rocking, lullaby-like rhythm, was very moving.
Yorkshire Bach Choir performing St John Passion at Sir Jack Lyons Concert Hall
The success of the performance depends on the contrast between the Evangelist’s narrative urgency and Christus’s centred stillness, each role demanding not only vocal control but also a finely judged sense of dramatic purpose.
Frederick Long proved an excellent Christus. His performance radiated authority, poise and inner calm. It was refreshing to hear such clarity of pitch in the lower bass register, rather than the all-too-common woolliness.
I found Long’s “Mein Reich ist nicht von dieser Welt” genuinely moving: surrounded by accusation and political tension, his quiet conviction, supported by the halo of strings, created a moment of true stillness and otherworldliness.
The other soloists all acquitted themselves admirably. Tenor Jason Darnell gave a fine account of the demanding “Ach, mein Sinn”, capturing its agitation and urgency. Darnell coped well with the quick, restless rhythms, generating a real sense of unease.
Alto Louise Dobson gave a compelling “Es ist Vollbracht”, beautifully supported by Richard Boothby on viol da gamba, whose intimate, haunting tone was ideally suited to the aria.
Both sopranos, Bethany Seymour and Wendy Goodson,delivered fine performances; Ms Seymour’s “Ich folge dir gleichfalls,” with flute and continuo, offered a moment of light, graceful contrast.
Perhaps most enjoyable of all was Caroline Sartin-Smith’s “Von den Stricken meiner Sünden”. Her rich alto voice suited the aria well, although the two oboes – beautifully played – occasionally compromised the balance.
The orchestra – from Lucy Russell and Agata Darashkaite on violins to Ben Horden on organ – was first-rate. There were moments when the balance did not favour the upper strings, but these are the forces Bach himself conceived, so perhaps best left there.
It was good to see Peter Seymour again, directing from the harpsichord with authority and assurance.
And it was good, too, to see a full house.
Review by Steve Crowther