‘Inadequate’ review (From The Oxford Times)

‘Inadequate’ review

11:45am Thursday 28th June 2012 in Letters

Sir – I feel compelled to respond to the woefully inadequate review of Oxford Bach Choir’s concert in the Sheldonian on Saturday, June 16. To consign the Rheinberger Mass to the position of an ‘also ran’ is a real injustice. There was no attempt therefore at any analysis of the Mass for double choir or of the Choir’s a capella performance.

The programme provided an interesting and contrasting balance, with the Brahms requiem being undoubtedly the better known but not necessarily to be interpreted as the ‘main’ work.

I found the requiem in its piano duet accompaniment version a refreshing experience, made particularly pleasurable by the very obvious enjoyment of the two pianists in this performance (and also that of the Schubert Rondo). However, casting a (thankfully fairly brief) shadow was the ‘glittering’ rendering of the fifth section which was unfortunately unintelligible and somewhat discomforting.

A comprehensive and informed critique would have been welcome.

Marilyn Floyd, Hailey