2004
5thJune – Concert at All Saints’ Church,
Tilford
The festival ended in truly
celebratory style on Saturday 5th June with full baroque orchestra, trumpets
and drums and four highly accomplished singers, directed from the organ by
Laurence Cummings. This was an
all-Bach evening comprising two rarely performed oratorios and a Sinfonia,
possibly written for a lost cantata.
The Easter Oratorio opens with a
joyful fanfare heralding the story of Christ’s resurrection told by those most closely
involved. Dramatic dialogue was 
interspersed with moving arias from
Joanne Lunn (soprano), Robin Blaze (counter tenor), Ashley Catling (tenor) and
Peter Harvey (bass). The work ends
with a joyful gigue, the singers combining with brass and timpani to create a
powerful and triumphant climax.
Sinfonia in D, BWV 1045, is a work of
tremendous energy and Adrian Butterfield undertook the virtuoso violin solo
with breathtaking panache, leaving the audience wondering how on earth the
musicians could follow that in the second half of the concert.
The answer came in the form of Bach’s
Ascension Oratorio, a fitting sequel to the Easter Oratorio, opening and closing
with a great chorus of praise.
Hand-clapping was not enough to express the audience’s appreciation of
this exciting and superbly performed programme, and the musicians seemed
pleasantly surprised to take their bows to a thunder of foot-stamping.
Rosemary Wisbey