Hall One, Kings Place
Cantata: ‘Weichet nur,
betrübte Schatten,’ BWV 202
Concerto for oboe and violin,
BWV 1060R
Violin Concerto in A minor,
BWV 1041
Cantata: ‘O holder Tag,
erwünschte Zeit,’ BWV 210
Carolyn Sampson (soprano)
Christopher Cowie (oboe)
Academy of St Martin in the Fields
Tomo Keller (violin/director)
A string section of the size
4.4.3.2.1 is small by reasonable standards, though doubtless counts as
positively – or rather negatively – Furtwänglerian by the mullahs of ‘authenticity’.
Nevertheless, there was no sense that the Academy of St Martin in the Fields
was undernourished, and in any case its ‘orchestral’ contribution was
intermittent. Carolyn Sampson and obbligato oboist Christopher Cowie took the
first movement of the wedding cantata, Weichet
nur, betrubte Schatten, as equal ‘soloists’ in something that fell midway
between an instrumental concerto and a vocal duet. That aria emerged clear and
clean, but not without warmth. Sampson’s tone remains somewhat ‘English’ in
quality; provided one does not mind that, there is much to enjoy, even though a
touch more vibrato would not have gone amiss. Breath control and phrasing were
exemplary from both ‘soloists’. The arioso-like quality of some of the
recitative writing was well handled by Sampson. There was a nimble rendition of
the cello part to the second aria, though intonation was not always beyond
reproach. In the third aria, ‘Wenn die Frühlingslüfte streichen,’ Sampson was
fluently complemented by violinist, Tomo Keller. This cantata may not represent
Bach at his most profound, but there is considerable pleasure nevertheless to
be had in his effortless mastery of melody, harmony, and counterpoint. Instrumentalists
such as the cellist in the final recitative took their opportunities for
word-painting. Despite the small forces, there was a welcome courtly sturdiness
to the closing gavotte-aria, in which the full orchestra returns.
The concerto for oboe and
violin opened well, its first movement harmonically grounded, and with a
well-chosen tempo that permitted the music to speak. There was splendid give
and take between the soloists, Cowie and Keller. Above all, Bach’s score was
played as music; the issue of the score’s reconstruction melted away, or rather
simply did not arise. The slow movement was on the swift side for an Adagio, though it generally worked.
There were, however, occasions on which one wished the performance would prove
more yielding, more in the case of the violin than the oboe. There was
exemplary pizzicato support from the ASMF. The finale would have benefited from
a slightly more moderate tempo, Keller’s performance veering uncomfortably
close to the world of Vivaldi. Bach does not need to sound aggressive.
It was a relief, then, after
the interval, to have the A minor violin concerto performed in less harried
fashion. Again, the tempo for the first movement was well chosen; it certainly
was not slow, but nor was it relentless. Phrases were nicely turned. Dynamic
contrasts and gradations made musical sense throughout. The slow movement was
arguably a little brisk, somewhat no-nonsense in the orchestral approach. There
were, however, moments when it yielded. Moreover, there was none of the non vibrato nonsense one fears in
present-day Bach performance; the violin was permitted to sing throughout.
Playing was clean, strong, and sweet-toned in the finale, which benefited from
a well-judged tempo. It excited through musical means rather than through
exhibitionism, which has no place whatsoever in Bach.
The relative neglect of the
wedding cantata, O holder Tag, erwünschte
Zeit, is puzzling; to my eyes and ears, it is a superior work to Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten, though I
should not wish to be without either. Cowie returned to the orchestra, this
time on oboe d’amore, and was joined by another instrumentalist, flautist Paul
Edmund-Davies. The first aria (though second movement), ‘Spielet, ihr beseelten
Lieder.’ Was elegantly despatched, no mean feat given the trickiness of Bach’s vocal
writing. It may be a cliché to describe it as instrumental in quality, but that
description certainly fits the bill here. Sampson’s coloratura was excellent.
Moreover, her handling of recitative proved admirably supple throughout. The
aria, ‘Ruhet hie, matte Töne,’ with three ‘soloists’, voice, violin, and oboe d’amore,
proved a veritable garden of musical delights, with excellent balance between
the soloists, and between them and the continuo. Partnership between Sampson
and Edmund-Davies in ‘Schweigt, ihr Flöten,’ was just as impressive. The
ultimate recitative, ‘Hochteurer Mann,’ benefited from an instrumental richness
– strings and those ‘solo’ instruments – that almost approached the arioso writing
of the Passions, after which the final aria, ‘Seid beglückt, edle beide,’
proved a glorious wedding gift indeed. Infectiously joyous, a radiant and
musicianly conclusion from all concerned; we might almost have been in an
Orchestral Suite, with added soprano.
