Bach Musica's Messiah was a festive occasion, right down to the platters of Christmas cake distributed by the choristers in the Holy Trinity Cathedral courtyard during the interval.
Before lifting her baton, Rita Paczian had stressed that this was music for the soul and, from the first burst
of overture, there was no doubting it. The fugal peal of the ensuing Allegro set a suitably celebratory mood that defined the whole concert.
Accompanying John Murray in his expressively delivered Comfort Ye My People, Paczian was also extremely sensitive to the subtleties and suppleness of a recitative that borders on arioso.
Orchestrally, there was strength and confidence. Lapses were occasional and momentary; from a passing scuff of intonation to a tinge of indecision in the launching of the oratorio's second part. Balancing this, the almost motoric drive of Handel's resolutely upbeat choruses and the serene lyricism of the Pastoral Symphony were beyond reproach.
Michael Bell's elegant chamber organ shared continuo duties with the spirited Paczian on harpsichord while Peter Reid's trumpet was a powerful ally for Matt Landreth when the young bass gave the stamp of authority to The Trumpet Shall Sound.
Bach Musica was in good choral voice, making the omission of such vital choruses as And With His Stripes and All We Like Sheep all the more regrettable. Lift Up Your Heads proved a showcase for the well-chiselled precision that Paczian demands and gets from her choristers.
Kate Spence impressed with solo contributions that were sterling in quality and stirring in their emotional engagement. This singer's ability to span and sustain Handel's generous melodic arches, while navigating the composer's shifting moods in arias like But Who May Abide, confirmed that she has few, if any, rivals in this field.
While some soloists were betrayed in places by the cathedral acoustics, Jayne Tankersley's clear soprano did not succumb to the building's challenge. Indeed, she positively flaunted her artistry in a virtuoso Rejoice Greatly, O Daughter of Zion! with imaginative and florid ornamentation.
