Heavenly Bach from Iestyn Davies and The English Concert at the BBC Proms

Late night Proms have a magic all of their own, turning the vast auditorium of the Royal Albert Hall into one of the most intimate of settings. Period ensembles, with their small number of musicians, demand more concentrated listening, commanding more hush and focus from the audience. This brings a silence like no other to this cavernous space, to which we were rewarded tenfold on this occasion by Iestyn Davies and The English Concert, directed by Kristian Bezuidenhout. 

Beginning with Bach’s cantata Vergnügte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust, BWV170, the gentle counterpoint and warm sound of the oboe d’amore were beguiling, making this the ideal opening. Setting the bar high, Davies was expressive, shaping phrases using subtle rise and fall with diction which was pristine. Bezuidenhout’s harpsichord was used sparingly, enhancing colours and adding much interest to the textures of Bach’s score. In the recitatives – here and across the other cantatas – Davies was strong, bringing subtle drama to the text; words were portrayed with conviction and meaning, without over-emphasis. The second aria, “Wie jammern mich doch die verkehrten Herzen” is not an easy one with its thin textures and exposed lines. Davies’ voice projected clearly over the high strings and organ obbligato without dominating and the intonation was flawless. 

In the middle of the programme came Bach’s ever-popular Third Brandenburg Concerto. The nine solos instruments, three violins, violas and cellos, were arranged around the central harpsichord played by Bezuidenhout, who enthusiastically directed the players. In the opening movement the interaction of the musicians as they tossed the musical ideas between each other was infectious and delightful. The second movement, with just its two chords, was elaborated and decorated by the lead violinist before launching into one of the briskest renditions of the closing Allegro I’ve heard. Throughout, the continuo was supplemented by the organ; however stylish this was, the subtlety of it was otherwise underwhelming in this acoustic. 

The final work, the cantata Geist und Seele wird verwirret, BWV15, was receiving its Proms premiere. Supplemented with oboes and bassoon, The English Concert had a fuller, richer sound befitting of this more virtuosic cantata. With its two purely instrumental movements, organist Tom Foster certainly came to the fore in his solos, along with Davies and lead violinist Nadja Zwiener. The unity of playing peaked here. Davies and the orchestra seemed to breathe as one in a performance which expressive, whilst maintaining an air of spontaneity, wondrously gazing towards the heavens — or the acoustic mushrooms in the RAH's domed ceiling, providing a fitting conclusion to this rather special late-night Prom.