Distinguished rather than gripping St John Passion from Bach Collegium Japan and Masaaki Suzuki

United KingdomUnited Kingdom PROM 40 – Bach, St. John Passion: Benjamin Bruns (tenor – Evangelist), Alexander Chance (countertenor), Christian Immler (bass – Jesus), Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Shimon Yoshida (tenor), Yusuke Watanabe (bass – Pilate), Bach Collegium Japan / Masaaki Suzuki (conductor), Royal Albert Hall, London, 19.8.2024 (JR)

Masaaki Suzuki conducts Bach’s St John Passion at the BBC Proms © BBC/Mark Allan

One would hardly choose the acoustics of the cavernous Royal Albert Hall for a Bach Passion. It was written to be performed as part of a church service, each Part either side of the sermon. Of course, a BBC Prom brings the work to the largest possible audience, both in the hall and on Radio 3. Masaaki Suzuki’s last attempt to bring the work to London was rather thwarted by COVID-19, so one cannot deny him the chance to return, even if the hall does the work no favours.

Having said that, the soloists were all loud and clear, the chorus incisive; I wished for more volume from the instrumentalists. I might have been bowled over hearing this performance in a church, or even the Queen Elizabeth Hall, but it almost passed me by in the Royal Albert Hall.

The chorus (17 of them plus the soloists who often joined in) is predominantly but not exclusively made up of Japanese nationals, and no praise can be high enough for their crisp German diction, phrasing and attention to Suzuki’s every command. They are mainly young singers – which gave them a freshness, particularly as there were two male altos. The ‘turba’ sections were always incisive, the many tricky ‘Wohin?’ interjections spot on. I was much taken by their attack in ‘Wäre dieser nicht ein Übeltäter’, ‘wir dürfen niemand töten’ and the rhythmic ‘Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen’; their warmly blended ensemble in the chorales ‘Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück’, their tenderness in ‘Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn’ and, finally, the heart-rending ‘Ruht wohl’ were most beautifully sung. The basses were just about the best of the bunch, their ‘Wir haben ein Gesetz’ really struck home.

Benjamin Bruns as the Evangelist was clear throughout though oddly uninvolving. I warmed more to Christian Immler’s sonorous Jesus, though the very lowest notes were a struggle. Alexander Chance, the countertenor, was faultless, most affecting in ‘Es ist vollbracht’.

I was less taken by the young tenor, Shimon Yoshida, based in Germany: he seemed rather overwhelmed by the occasion and his lyric tenor too weak with not quite enough richness for the size of the hall. Carolyn Sampson was the vocal star of the show; always engaged and engaging, her first aria ‘Ich folge dir gleichfalls’ was glittering. Yusuke Watanabe impressed with his dark bass in the part of Pontius Pilate.

Masaaki Suzuki conducts Bach’s St John Passion at the BBC Proms (l, soprano Carolyn Sampson) © BBC/Mark Allan

Suzuki’s orchestra gelled perfectly; the strings could have done with more power, or probably just greater numbers. Robert Franenberg (double bass) worked tirelessly throughout, and French cellist Emmanuel Balssa (principal cello) stood out. Interesting to note that Suzuki’s son Masato was the harpsichordist; a pity he was often somewhat inaudible.

This was, however, predominantly Suzuki’s evening. He says that, even after so many performances, it is a work of endless fascination, as revelatory today as it was when first unveiled exactly 300 years ago. Suzuki kept the work flowing with fast tempi and unerring accuracy, so it never dragged. Other interpreters might have made it more gripping, but this was a highly distinguished performance. I just wished I could have transported the performance into a more intimate venue.

John Rhodes

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