Having been given a vocal score as a Confirmation present fifteen years ago, it was especially exciting to have the chance to direct Bach’s monumental St Matthew Passion on Palm Sunday this year. We were lucky enough to benefit from Nick Mulroy’s outstanding gift for communication as Evangelist (and look forward to his starring role in this year’s St John Passion at the Proms) rising stars James Newby, Becca Leggett and Louise Wayman, as well as a stellar group of baroque players led by the wonderful Alison Bury, with exquisite continuo and gamba playing from Poppy Walshaw. We performed the piece in a liturgical context, with Rector Mandy Hodgson delivering a homily after Part I, and four of the chorales being sung congregationally. A full church of 500 people singing Bach’s chorales, combined with the excellence of the choir, soloists and instrumentalists, made for a very moving occasion.
St Matthew Passion
