Mendelssohn’s oratorio ‘St. Paul’ has not become a familiar part of the main oratorio repertoire in this country: and yet it was a very welcome surprise to hear the Bollington Festival Choir and Chamber Orchestra perform this work at the Arts Centre on Palm Sunday. It has not the spiritual power and magnificence of ‘The Messiah’ nor indeed the great works of Bach, but it is a melodious and impressive oratorio with an orchestral score that is a great delight.
As the narrative of St. Paul’s conversion and the mission of his life after that unfolds, we hear a stream of lyrical arias, noble choruses and dramatic incidents as he moves from the stoning of Stephen to his own dramatic conversion and change of life, the noble music finally encouraging him to meet his own death with tranquillity.
Anyone familiar with the music of Mendelssohn will recognise his style and be delighted with this rarely-performed work. It is an impressive oratorio and within its flow there are many passages which stand out for singers and orchestra alike. The combination of solo voice, woodwind and strings was especially beautiful and choruses, such as ‘O great is the depth’, and many moments of dramatic force varied the emotional tension. Four female voices uttered the words of Christ, a moment which will be long remembered.
The four soloists from the Royal Northern College of Music gave a good account of their arias and duets, the soprano in particular had a lovely tone and noble style, while the mezzo, with a smaller part, had her own depth of quality; and what a pleasure it was to hear two men, tenor and baritone, singing together in ‘For so hath the Lord’. The chorus produced some fine singing, their range of emotion rising and falling in response to every occasion. There was no shouting, but good disciplined control even when the brass joined them. Underpinning the whole performance was the excellence of the full chamber orchestra. This ensemble of twenty-three musicians played faultlessly, not overpowering choir or soloists: on the contrary, they played in balanced unison with the singers and when alone they showed a fine response to the score. To mention one or two things: the strings were admirable, playing their demanding score with a passion and grace that was exceptional. They seemed to give everything they had all through the oratorio. Occasionally, they combined with the woodwind who themselves were at their very best, and this together with the human voice in the arias made the audience aware of the sheer beauty of Mendelssohn in song and orchestration. They gave the solemnity a touch of magic.
Special thanks are due to all who took part in this lovely event, but especially to Donald Judge who brought this performance into being.
JH