[The St John Passion] given by the Oxford Bach Soloists, conducted by Tom Hammond-Davies, laid it bare. The group performed in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, as part of their four-day online Easter festival. Boldly, occasionally eccentrically, directed by Thomas Guthrie, this account conveyed the raw urgency of the crucifixion story, with outstanding solos from across the instrumental and vocal ensemble, among them Ben Davies’s short but notable Betrachte, meine Seel (Contemplate My Soul), and a forceful sense of the baying crowd. Nick Pritchard, as the Evangelist, was both an enthralled witness and an enthralling performer. So were they all.
REVIEW: The Observer
