American Bach Produces a Deeply Transferring St. John Ardour

American Bach

For all the discrete wonders of JS Bach's St. John Passion – the stirring solos, harmonically layered choruses, soaring choruses and piercing orchestral accompaniment – American Bach's performance on Sunday, March 10, reminded the enthusiastic audience at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in San Francisco remembers what a captivating achievement of musical storytelling this great work is. The composer's depiction of Christ's torment and crucifixion, which is now exactly 300 years old, seemed lively and eternally new.

While many took credit for the afternoon, Gregório Taniguchi's lyrically astute and emotionally penetrating account of the narrative evangelist was the defining center and driving force of the line. It's not often that a recitative can do so much, but this wonderfully expressive tenor used his crystal-clear German diction, modulating timbres and piercing line readings to enliven the intricate details of Christ's suffering, death and redemption. Taniguchi rarely attracted attention, his long black hair framing his striking, gaunt face.

Gregory Taniguchi | Photo credit: Sean Fitzpatrick

Equally convincing, in another respect, was baritone Jesse Blumberg, who sang two dynamic and captivating arias and brought a deep, conflicted dimension to the role of Pontius Pilate. When Blumberg's Roman governor confronted Jesus (baritone Mischa Bouvier, intense in his composure), their heated arguments created a palpable theatrical tension in the audience.

In a Passion performance that provided several highlights, the aria that Blumberg performed with the American Bach Cantorei and three strings may be the standout. In this growing, sombre, beautiful litany, sung immediately after the evangelist proclaims the death of Jesus on the cross, the poignant majesty of Bach's genius emerges. Over an evenly flowing basic bass and a wafting decanter of strings, the soloist and choir searched for answers that only faith can answer. Here, translated from the sung German, is such an exchange in which darkness, light and mystery are connected:

“Am I now redeemed from death?” The soloist posed in a kind of musical transubstantiation of Christ’s suffering.

“In my final throes,” offered the refrain, “nowhere else can lead me.”

Right at the beginning, in the refrain “Lord, our ruler,” the Cantorei took up the musical complexity and breadth of the work. With a mixture of technical precision, transparent singing and dynamic responsiveness under the undoubted conductor and artistic director Jeffrey Thomas, the Cantorei created the far-reaching foundation of this passion.

The choirs and chorales had a radiant richness of sound and emotion. As the crowd mocked Jesus in Part 2, the Cantorei sang with a harsh, sarcastic undertone. In a moment that could have been channeled by Dickens, the singers blithely suggested drawing lots for the woven cloak worn at Christ's death. More than a few times, the work's narrative reveals the dark depths of human nature.

Yet even as he captured the profound suffering and anguish of Christ's final hours, Bach infused his passion with hope, faith, and transcendent visions. A shining star came early, in soprano Julie Bosworth's aria, “I too will follow you with eager steps.” Her bright, clear tone filled the church in a flowing line that became the vocal equivalent of a long, uninterrupted beam of light. Later, Bosworth brought a sense of fully committed immediacy to the number in a short but haunting devotional aria entitled “Dissolve now, my heart, in floods of tears.”

Among the other soloists, the amber-colored mezzo-soprano Ágnes Vojtkó made a strong impression with her poignant aria “It is fulfilled!” This echoes Christ's statement as his mouth is stuffed with a sponge soaked in vinegar.

The orchestra played with their usual grace and responsiveness, but not without some unsteady spots and problems with balance. The solo strings were particularly good, as was the even, smooth draw of the continuo parts.

Running two hours and 15 minutes, including an intermission, the St. John Passion requires and demands focused attention. The printed text in the program comprised eight pages, which are well worth reading to appreciate the sophisticated poetry of Bach's settings. Although the performance of American Bach was finely crafted in many details, it ultimately formed a unified whole. Regardless of the listener's religious orientation, this was a musically spiritual occasion.