|
Intimate and Moving
The Ex Cathedra consort and continuo,
heard by KEITH BRAMICH
Conductor Jeffrey Skidmore and his Birmingham-based Ex Cathedra choir and early music ensemble gave us an intimate and moving evening of J S Bach motets and cello suites on 21 November 2013 at Malvern Theatres, Worcestershire, UK, courtesy of Malvern Concert Club. Ten singers, comprising four sopranos (Natalie Clifton-Griffith, Elizabeth Drury, Amy Wood and Susannah Vango) and two each of male altos (Jonathan Darbourne and Matthew Venner), tenors (Christopher O'Gorman and Ashley Turnell) and basses (Simon Gallear and Greg Skidmore), stood in a curved line behind and to each side of a small continuo group of theorbo (Lynda Sayce), cello (Andrew Skidmore), double bass (Kate Aldridge) and organ (James Johnstone).
The evening began with a bright, slick performance of the four part Lobet de Herrn, alle Heiden ('Praise the Lord all heathen'), BWV 230, with text from Psalm 117, verses 1-2. This short motet's fast outer sections are about praise and celebration, with the final section based on the single word Alleluja...
Copyright © 23 November 2013
Keith Bramich,
Worcestershire UK
|
