Never having sung the St John Passion before, I was incredibly excited about this latest tour. I was also grateful for the first “pre-tour” rehearsal that Jules Clarkson [long-standing member of the Choir] held for the apprentices only, giving us a good preliminary idea of John Eliot’s preferred tempi and helping us with the text. From the first full rehearsal it was clear that the inherent drama of the piece would be taking an important role in the project. The idea of “wearing different hats” throughout each performance provided a helpful source of inspiration, and adopting various dramatic personas was one of the ways in which we were able to bring variation and excitement in different ways to each concert. Much of the rehearsal time was spent getting deep into the meaning and personal expression of each chorale, and seeing how the dramatic flow of the whole piece is punctuated and led by these exclamations.
It was a privilege to be able to work at close quarters with the English Baroque Soloists. I was especially pleased when, in Amsterdam, the layout of the choir was changed to put all the sopranos in the front row, as this put me right behind the powerful viola section and the oboes. It was great to be able to draw inspiration from the articulation and expression of the players, and being so close to them really brought home how much the whole musical tapestry of the piece is fuelled by the orchestra.
I also really enjoyed listening to all the soloists, made up both of members of the choir whom I had met before, and by visiting soloists. The way in which people from the choir took it in turns to step out really enhanced the feeling of a community performance for me, adding yet another dramatic angle to the piece as a whole. It was also interesting and inspiring to hear how different singers interpreted the same arias in different performances.
Looking back on the tour, what really strikes me about it is how utterly different each concert was, depending on the venue, audience, date and moment. Our first venue was the large, recently completed Auditorio Miguel Delibes, in Valladolid. Most of our rehearsal on the day was spent trying to figure out the acoustic in the hall, and where all the soloists and instrumentalists should be positioned. It was surprising how long it took to sort out these vital technicalities, before we could even think about the music. The Teatro Auditorio in Cuenca was much smaller, yet strangely more difficult to hear one another in. This concert was broadcast on live radio, so there was an added element of excitement. I had heard such good things about the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam from everyone who had already performed there, and my high expectations were not disappointed. Despite the size of the hall, it still felt incredibly intimate, as you could hear every tiny detail of the musical texture. The performance was exhilarating, which the audience certainly appreciated, as we got a prompt standing ovation after the final chord. Braunschweig was once again completely different. We were performing the Passion on Good Friday [and incidentally Bach's birthday too!], in one of the oldest Lutheran churches in Europe, to a packed audience of native German speakers, many of whom had travelled quite a distance to be there. They were extremely attentive listeners, and the powerful atmosphere in the church was unforgettable. A particularly memorable moment was when we performed one of the chorales as an impromptu a cappella, which was wonderful in the resounding acoustics. As the last in the tour, the concert in Budapest was hugely enjoyable, and once again the audience showed their appreciation with some impressively co-ordinated rhythmic clapping!
We'll be returning to the Passion later this year - it will be very interesting to see how the time off, and different venues, will effect it.
