It is Good Friday morning, and as I write the sublime sound of Bach’s St Matthew Passion pervades the house, a tradition for Anne and me of several years’ standing.  It is a recording made by the Bach Choir in 1979, conducted by Sir David Wilcox, and sung in English.  We used to hear the same ensemble perform this work in London on one of the two Sundays prior to Easter.  Sir David made each performance a very moving occasion.  The work was performed very reverentially but without compromising any the of drama inherent in the story.  He instructed that there should be no applause.  At the end of the performance audience and choir members alike were invited to remain in their seats, reflecting on what we had just heard or sung, and to leave when we felt ready.  It is amazing to think that this took place in the secular environment of the Royal Festival Hall, yet each performance verged on an act of worship in the truest sense.

There is something about the way Bach tells the story of the passion which is compelling.  This note will doubtless take much longer to write than usual as I pause every so often to listen more intently to some of the key passages.

In addition to listening to this recording of the St Matthew Passion today, we had the privilege last week of hearing the St John Passion sung by the choir of St James King Street, with the special treat of Richard Butler as the Evangelist. That brought back memories of this time last year, when we were in the final throes of preparing our own performance, which was indeed a triumph for a community choir such as MWC.

But back to this year.  Last night we managed a second full run through of Ein Deutsche Requiem, which was both exhilarating and tiring.  Who was the most exhausted at the end of the rehearsal?  Carlos, from watching and giving all the beats and entries, and communicating to us the ever-changing atmosphere of the music?  Angela, from playing the relentlessly fiendish piano reduction of a full orchestral score?  Choir members, from giving their all in concentration and the physical effort of singing?  I do not know the answer, and to some extent it does not matter. There was a wonderful sense of satisfaction at having sung the full piece, and in the realisation that, with some more hard work over the next few weeks, we are well positioned to give a very creditable performance on May 6th.

It has indeed taken longer than usual to compose today’s musings  It’s already the end of Part One of the St Matthew Passion.  Time now to make the coffee!