American Bach Soloists with Conductor Jeffrey Thomas

BACH'S ST JOHN HEARD IN PASSIONATE ABS MARIN CONCERT

The American Bach Soloists (ABS), led by music director Jeffrey Thomas, staged the St. John Passion Jan. 25 for a full house in Belvedere’s St. Stephen’s Church. The formidable Soloists are in their 25th season.

Along with the St. Matthew Passion and the B Minor Mass, the St. John is one of the monumental compositions Bach produced during his Leipzig period. It sets forth the account of Christ’s last hours, the Evangelist’s recitatives sustaining the narrative, and is punctuated by the choral and solo parts. Tenor Aaron Sheehan sang the Evangelist’s role, and was perfectly suited to the task, masterfully guiding listeners through the text. His clear, expressive voice, accompanied only by a double-bass violone, sensitively depicted Christ’s betrayal, Pilate’s dialogue with the onlookers and the crucifixion.

In the aria “O crush me, ye rocks and ye mountains ... how wickedly have I forgotten thee, O Jesus!,” the strings’ highly agitated theme faithfully echoed Mr. Sheehan’s words. Baritones William Sharp and Joshua Copeland portrayed Jesus and Pilate, convincingly evoking the high drama of the unfolding scene. When Jesus goes before Pilate, Mr. Sheehan’s assured handling of the text was enriched by its interplay with the orchestra’s dissonant ascending phrases. The violins sinuously ornamented the melody.

A seamless blend of twelve polished voices, the ABS Chorus provided deeply touching interludes describing Christ’s sufferings. It also played the role of the taunting crowd.
“Hail, King of the Jews!,” and after the soldiers place the crown of thorns upon Jesus’ head. “Crucify! Crucify!,” the mocking crowd roars, wanting blood. The choir, a single multi-textured voice, was able to shift moods from one moment to the next, from soft and expressive to angry and accusatory.

Countertenor Brennan Hall mesmerized the audience with the aria “It is fulfilled,” when Jesus, on the cross, asks for water but is given vinegar instead. Perfectly complemented by a solo viola da gamba’s brilliantly ornamented melody, Mr. Hall’s elegantly poignant solo was perhaps the most compelling of the delight-filled evening. A darkly dramatic moment also arose from the bass solo, “Open, heaven, Quake, O earth,” wherein Mr. Copeland and a choral soprano soloist were firmly yet gracefully supported by the deep, resonant violone. The closing chorus and chorale of the Passion enacted the inevitable completion: “Rest well, ye holy bones,” the words “holy bones” being intoned over and over, in mourning of Christ’s death. Orchestra and chorus then joined in sending the final chorale, “Christ, thou Lamb of God ... grant us thy peace!” swelling to the rafters.

It should be gratefully noted that in addition to providing essential support for the vocal elements of the St. John, the chamber orchestra played the Oratorio splendidly.

Religious or not, one cannot help being swept up in the surging tide of Bach’s heartfelt piety and at still-ripening musicality at age 39. After the “Amen” the audience sat rapt in the music’s afterglow before erupting in applause and then rising to its feet, still applauding.