J.S.Bach: St.John Passion - B.Britten, Pears, Howell, Harper, Wandsworth School Boy's Choir, English Chamber Orchestra

J.S.Bach: St.John Passion, BWV 245
B.Britten, Pears, Howell, Harper, Wandsworth school boy's choir, English Chamber Orchestra

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Peter Pears : Evangelist
Gwynne Howell : Jesus
John Shirley-Quirk : Pilate
Russel Burgess : Peter
Jenny Hill : Maid
John Tobin, Adrian Thompson : Servants
Heather Harper : Soprano Arias
Alfreda Hodgson : Alto Arias
Robert Tear : Tenor Arias
John Shirley-Quirk : Bass Arias
Richard Adeney, Norman Knight : Flutes
Peter Graeme, James Brown : Oboes
Cecil Aronowitz, Quintin Ballardie : Violas
Martin Gatt : Basson
Adam Skeaping : Viola da Gamba
Robert Spencer : Lute
Philip Ledger : Harpsicord
Timothy Farell : Organ
Kenneth Heath : Cello
Adrian Beers : Double Bass
Wandsworth Choir
Russel Burgess : Director
English Chamber Orchestra
Kenneth Sillitoe : Leader
Benjamin Britten : Conductor

Reviews :
Gramophone : July 1972

Bach's St John Passion is not a 'poor relation' of his St Matthew. That statement will scarcely come as a revelation to discerning readers: but I know from my own experience that it still needs to be repeated and repeated. This brilliantly exciting and also profoundly thoughtful performance under Britten should do much to convince the doubters; for the St John is a highly dramatic setting of the Passion story with its episodes conveyed swiftly, and with far fewer contemplative arias to hold up the 'action'. That said, to the present performance.
It is the only one in English in the catalogues, other than the much earlier King's Cambridge, performance under Wilicocks, which also has Pears as the Evangelist. There he was placed distantly in relation to the other singers, which is defensible in theory since it keeps the Evangelist clear of the protagonists in the drama: but I do not think it works Out in practice. Certainly, the impact of Pears's famous interpretation of the role is far greater on this new set and for that reason, among very many others, this is to be treasured. He is in as fine voice as ever, ranging from passages of the utmost subtlety of expression to others, sung with tremendous virility.
The present English version of the text, we are told, has been developed over the years by Pears and Imogen Hoist. I have not had time to compare it in any detail with the original German but the two examples Cohn Matthews quotes in his note are certainly improvements. But I cannot agree that, in the opening chorus, the cries of "Herr" are better translated as "Sire" than, as usual, "Lord". My conviction is based on the fact that what we hear is "Sah" and I had to refer to the booklet to discover what on earth they were singing. Curiously, Mr Matthews refers especially to this. "Lord", he writes, "is a dull and lumpish mono-syllable. 'Sire' not only retains the power of the original but adds a forceful sibilance". Not to me. Apart from the fact that there is no sibilance in "Herr" (and the less sibilance there is in choral words, the better, as every choral conductor knows), "Lord" is a fine word as a choral outburst, whereas "Sah" is pointless, for "Sire"reafly needs two syllables to make it clear (which 'Herr' does not).
But I am making too much of a relatively small point. The solo singers are, as you will see from the list above, of the very first class. Gwynne Howell is a noble Jesus, while John Shirley-Quirk as Pilate both sings splendidly and with all the authority of Pilate's position.
Among the aria singers I should have expected Britten to opt for a counter-tenor but, as it turns out, Alfreda Hodgson has exactly the right kind of voice, for she is no 'fruity' contralto. Heather Harper, Robert Tear and, again, Shirley-Quirk are all in finest voice.
As to the Wandsworth School Boys' Choir, their singing makes ammunition for all who are in favour of comprehensive schools; though the snag is that not every such school can have a Russell Burgess in charge of its music. The lower voices are naturally light but not at all inadequate, while the zest with which they sing is captivating. (But then, not every such school has a Britten to inspire its choir!) Oddly, while their words are generally pretty good, they are very inai.dible in the legato singing of the chorales. All the same, they make a vital contribution to the whole work.
Talking of chorales, Britten not only takes a wide variety of speeds and dynamics but may, in this one or that, dramatise a point, which won't please the purists. But the gramophone listener is not a member of the congregation in St Thomas's Church, Leipzig, whc would join the choir at such points, but wants his interest held as he listens at home—and this Britten certainly achieves.
Since the orchestra is the ECO I need hardly remark on the distinction of their soloists; but I must draw special attention to Philip Ledger's imaginative harpischord continuo playing which often makes a dramatic point all on its own. An organ is also used (Timothy Farrell) and I think this arrangement much preferable to the longheld, unimaginative organ chords that make so many performances dull.
It would take far too much space to go through this marvellous performance in detail, so I shall merely pick out a few things I have specially noted. Britten is compelling right from the start, with a fine pulse and drive for the opening chorus and with an exceptionally strong and pounding instrumental bass, (In the following notes I shall quote the Elgar/Atkins translation, since most readers will be familiar with it.)
I much like the very swift tempo for No. 13 ("1 follow in gladness to meet Thee") not only because it suits the joyful words of the aria but also because it allows Heather Harper to take gloriously long phrases in one easy breath. In the recitative where the cock crows (an imaginative touch on the harpsichord here from Ledger) and Peter remembers the words of Jesus, Pears sings the poignant "wept bitterly" phrases surely as movingly as he has ever done. This is immediately followed by a superbly soulsearing account of the aria No. 19 ("Ali, my soul") by Robert Tear.
At the start of Part 2 the youthful choir shows its mettle in those chromatic crowd choruses, singing firmly and strongly under Britten's urgent beat. One might also add that though all evangelists sing the leads into such choruses in the tempo that is coming, surely none does them more dynamically than Pears; no choir could possibly help coming in with precise ensemble when propelled into a chorus with such jet propulsion! For No. 36, the crowd shouting "Crucify Him", Britten ditches the Elgar/ Atkins suggestion of Allegro non troppo, taking it extremely fast—and shows how inappropriate that direction is.
In No. 49, the recitative telling of the Crucifixion itself, the organist (probably inspired by Britten) adds a wonderfully telling part to the words Pilate wrote and put on the cross ("Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews").
I shall end by confessing that I wish someone would have the courage to omit the final chorale, especially when, as here, the organ is not added to make it stronger. The St Matthew ends with a chorus that gathers up everything that has gone before. So does the St John— if you end with the chorus that immediately precedes the chorale. No doubt but that at this stage of his career Bach thought that the congregation should join in a hymn at the end. But he changed his mind later in the St Matthew and I do not see why, for concert or gramophone listening, we should not take advantage of his experience and end with that most beautiful chorus. Myself, I go further than that. I lift off the pickup arm after that wonderful bass aria, No. 60 ("My Lord and Saviour, let me ask Thee"), with the chorus chorale coming in in separate phrases, as Bach knew so well how to do (as in, to name the best-known example, "Jesu, joy of man's desiring"—yet infinitely more moving), for dramatically all the rest is anticlimax. Still, that is probably asking too much; and I should certainly hate to lose that wonderful chorus just before the final chorale, "Lie still, 0 sacred limbs, lie sleeping", which makes a perfect ending.
There are two comparisons listed above: but there seems no point in detailed comment. One is there because it is the only alternative recording in English; but it is elderly and has not been reduced in price. The other is there because if you prefer the work in German, it seems to be the most recommended performance. But I cannot recommend too highly this vivid version from Britten. And if I have given the impression that it is all swift speeds and excitement, that would be very wrong: for some contemplative areas are taken very slowly and with great introspection, while Pears's range is wide indeed. T.H.

CD 01
01. Part I : Sire, Lord and Master (chorus) [0:09:57.93]
02. Jesus went with His disciples (recitative) et. al. [0:02:58.40]
03. O generous love! (chorale) [0:01:08.66]
04. So that the word might be fulfilled (recitative) [0:01:16.77]
05. Thy will be done, o God of love! (chorale) [0:00:55.93]
06. The band then, together with the captain (recitative) [0:00:49.49]
07. To release me from this prison (contralto aria) [0:05:33.06]
08. Simon Peter also followed (recitative) [0:00:18.84]
09. I'll follow Thee also (soprano aria) [0:03:59.96]
10. Now that same disciple (recitative) [0:03:37.10]
11. Ah, who would dare to smite Thee? (chorale) [0:01:29.89]
12. Now Annas sent Him bound (recitative) et. al. [0:02:37.26]
13. Ah! take flight away from human sight (tenor aria) [0:03:39.46]
14. Peter, who denied his Lord (chorale) [0:01:35.10]
15. Part II: Christ, Who gave us life and light (chorale) [0:01:01.13]
16. Then led they Jesus (recitative) et. al. [0:04:53.06]
17. Ah, King of Heaven (chorale) [0:01:59.00]
18. And Pilate said unto Him (recitative) et. al. [0:02:23.62]
19. Look yonder, o my soul (bass arioso) [0:03:06.33]
20. Consider, how His body (tenor aria) [0:09:26.53]
CD 02
01. And when the soldiers (recitative) et. al. [0:06:59.50]
02. Thy bonds, o Christ, have set us free (chorale) [0:01:14.09]
03. But the Jews cried out and said (recitative) et. al. [0:04:40.17]
04. Haste, ye souls (bass aria with chorus) [0:05:05.02]
05. And there crucified they Him (recitative) et. al. [0:02:33.73]
06. Within my heart, o Savior (chorale) [0:01:03.70]
07. And then did the soldiers (recitative) et. al. [0:04:27.40]
08. When His life had reached its end (chorale) [0:01:25.22]
09. And from that hour (recitative) [0:01:49.24]
10. The end is nigh! (contralto aria) et. al. [0:06:49.36]
11. My dearest Savior (bass aria with chorale) [0:05:51.86]
12. And then, behold (recitative) [0:00:29.97]
13. My heart, behold how all the world (tenor arioso) [0:01:03.06]
14. With torrents of weeping (soprano aria) [0:07:06.29]
15. The Jews, therefore (recitative) [0:02:23.64]
16. Help us, Son of God most high (chorale) [0:01:09.89]
17. And after this, Jospeh of Arimathea (recitative) [0:03:10.80]
18. Farewell, o broken, weary body (chorus) [0:07:49.20]
19. Lord Jesus, when we come to die (chorale) [0:02:27.40]

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