Polyphony excels in Good Friday St John Passion

By Jack Johnson, 19 April 2014

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“Polyphony seized the opportunity to relish crisp German dialogue and ever-intensifying fugal writing”

Reviewed at Smith Square Hall, London on 18 April 2014

Bach, St John Passion, BWV245

Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Polyphony

Stephen Layton, Conductor

Jeremy Ovenden, Tenor

Neal Davies, Bass

Elin Manahan Thomas, Soprano

Clare Wilkinson, Mezzo-soprano

Stuart Jackson, Tenor

Robert Davies, Bass

Mixed Mozart from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Dominic Lowe, 26th February

A Mozart's of symphonies – his last – under conductor Robin Ticciati is capped with a fine Jupiter, but is let down by the performances of its two predecessors.

***11

John Butt and the OAE celebrate Handel's Solomon

Roy Westbrook, 12th October

The Queen of Sheba is clearly in a hurry in this account of Handel's oratorio at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

*****

Enescu Festival immersion: Bach on the street, Klimt in the forest

Peter Quantrill, 11th September

At the George Enescu International Festival, a pair of new shows crossing genres and reinventing the classics, with mostly enlightening results.

****1

Brandstrup Breaking Bach with the OAE at EIF

Kathy Elgin, 20th August

Kim Brandstrup choreographs Bach favourites based on hip hop and street dance. Lie back on the bean bags at Usher Hall and enjoy...

****1

A strong new Figaro opens at Glyndebourne

Dominic Lowe, 29th June

Mariame Clément is a popular director at Glyndebourne, and her new production of Figaro shows her trademark approach to hardhitting comedy.

****1

Glyndebourne's Saul still packs a punch 10 years on

Nick Boston, 8th June

Returning from the original run, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies were joined by a strong cast and chorus for a revival of Barrie Kosky's striking production.

*****

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Jack Johnson

After completing a postgraduate degree in Music at King's College London in 2013, Jack now works in development for an arts charity based in London. Aside from regularly attending concerts, he plays piano and clarinet and enjoys singing with several choirs. Particularly passions include Bach, Prokofiev and the neglected choral works of Hummel