Review from The Arts Desk
Review from The Independent
Thursday 2 August 2012 at 19.30
Live from the Royal Albert Hall, London
Broadcast live on BBC radio 3 and at 20.00 on BBC4 TV
image from the Treasures of Saxon State Library
BBC 3 iPlayer time now expired Link to BBC4 TV iPlayer for two short video clips
J. S. Bach – Mass in B minor
Joélle Harvey – soprano
Malin Christensson – soprano
Iestyn Davies – counter-tenor
Ed Lyon – tenor
Matthew Rose – bass
Choir of the English Concert
The English Concert – Harry Bicket conductor
Having restored choral music to the forefront of his ensemble’s recent activities, Baroque specialist Harry Bicket returns to the Proms hotfoot from the 2012 Leipzig Bachfest with one of music’s great milestones.
Since its rediscovery by 19th-century Romantics, Bach’s Mass in B minor has been continually reimagined, most recently with an injection of period-style agility and buoyancy. Still the mysteries remain, as befits a testament through which the composer seemingly intended to carve out his unique place in cultural history.
* Note here the inclusion of tenor Ed Lyon who has recently wowed audiences world-wide with his performance in ROH Les Troyens
Hmmm, might have to blow off work for this one.
iPlayer?
Well, yes, that could be done, but I was really looking for a good excuse. Or I could just plug in the speakers at work and give upper mgt something to listen to other than themselves.
Both solutions would appear to have their own attractions.