The choruses in Handel's theatrical and oratorio works were very popular in his time, and remained so. A tradition of Handel Festivals developed in England during the C19th and early C20th, which involved full symphony orchestras and amalgamated amateur and semi-professional choirs, numbering many hundreds of voices. To some extent, this large-scale tradition has declined, partly because of the swelling influence of historically-informed performance practises. The Bach Choir is one of the UK's large choruses with 220 performing members, tracing its origins over 133 seasons under Sir Charles Villiers Stanford, Ralph Vaughan Williams, Sir David Willcocks and now David Hill. The vastly-experienced English Concert, one of the premier period instrument bands, provides the accompaniment on this occasion. BIS do not give the number of singers in the chorus for these sessions, but it does not sound to me as if the full complement was present. Whatever the number of voices, their weight of tone is none the less impressive, and such well-drilled vocal production marries well with a relatively small gathering of period instruments.

The programme contains not only the expected favourites, but some less-familiar but very worthy choral excerpts: 'The people shall hear' (Israel in Egypt, HWV54), 'The many rend the skies' (Alexander’s Feast, HWV75), 'Or let the merry bells ring round' (L’Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV55) - Air: (soprano) and Chorus, 'Zadok the Priest' (HWV258), 'Hear Jacob’s God' (Samson, HWV57) - Air and Chorus (Samson, HWV57), 'Let the bright Seraphim…' - Air (soprano); Chorus 'Let their celestial concerts all unite', 'Recall, O King, thy rash command' (Belshazzar, HWV61), 'The mighty pow’r' (Athalia, HWV52) - Solo (alto) and Chorus, 'Jealousy, infernal pest' (Hercules, HWV60), 'See the conquering hero comes' (Joshua, HWV64), 'Fall’n is the foe' (Judas Maccabaeus, HWV63), 'May no rash intruder' (Solomon, HWV67), 'He saw the lovely youth' (Theodora, HWV68), 'Hallelujah' (Messiah, HWV56). Major episodes of loud celebration are thus judiciously interspersed with calmer, quieter and more emotional choruses. The quietly sung pathos of mourning for a dead boy in 'He saw the lovely youth' is poignantly expressed, for example, with its following celebratory resurrection chorus after Christ's intervention all the more touching.

David Hill's direction takes full account of the setting and context of these excerpts, with generally brisk tempi and full co-operation from the English Concert, who relish the often novel orchestrations which Handel bestowed upon his choruses. The orchestra and choir are beautifully balanced, so that even the loudest singing does not drown Handel's vivid string and wind figurations in accompaniment, and when trumpets and drums join in, the sound is truly impressive and resplendent. The fine acoustic signature of St John's in Smith Square, London, is ever-present but never clouds musical detail or distances the listener from the immediacy of the performances.

Soprano Carolyn Sampson and counter-tenor Robin Blaze, both well-versed in this repertoire, sing their brief airs with characteristic purity of tone and expressiveness. They have clear diction and are not placed too close to the microphones. While the Bach Choir has great attack and very good articulation, its diction is often somewhat woolly, with many soft consonants. A non-English speaker might have difficulty following, and I found that when raising my eyes from the texts provided in the booklet, I could only work out a few of the words. Some pieces, however, had much improved diction, including the pacy 'Zadok the Priest' and a 'Hallelujah' Chorus which has real "attitude" and genuine fire.

A beautifully-recorded, entertaining and uplifting concert, which makes an excellent partner to BIS Handel: Great Oratorio Duets - Sampson, Blaze, Kraemer, with the same soloists.

Copyright © 2009 John Miller and HRAudio.net

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