Elijah: Oxford Bach Choir, Sheldonian Theatre (From The Oxford Times)

Elijah: Oxford Bach Choir, Sheldonian Theatre

9:02am Wednesday 9th December 2009

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Mendelssohn’s oratorio Elijah took the British public by storm with its first performance in Birmingham in 1846. An admirer of Bach and Handel, Mendelssohn drew consciously on the achievements of his predecessors while at the same time introducing innovations of his own.

It is a dramatic piece, full of action and colour. The Oxford Bach Choir with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a fine cast of soloists under the baton of Nicholas Cleobury did the work full justice last Saturday at the Sheldonian Theatre.

David Wilson-Johnson brought intelligence and feeling to his characterisation of Elijah, proving a forceful presence right from the austere opening recitative. I particularly enjoyed his fiery exchanges with the prophets of Baal, and his biting sarcasm and mockery of their “mountain deities”. His fervent pleas for rain were also stirring, with perfect pacing between Wilson-Johnson and the treble Jacob Thorn as the boy lookout. The aria It is enough, from the second half, depicting Elijah’s despair and frustration, was another highlight.

The young soprano Katherine Broderick also deserves a special mention for her superb voice and powerful portrayal of her various roles. Her grieving, anguished widow in the first part was wholly convincing and the slow-paced and heartfelt Arise now, get thee without in part two was exquisite. She is already making a considerable name for herself in opera and is a rising star worth looking out for.

The tenor Thomas Walker gave a strong performance both in the role of Obadiah, and elsewhere, with a confident and expressive style. Less assured was the mezzo Claire Bradshaw who, despite having a fine voice, failed to bring the same emotional intensity to her performance as did her fellow soloists. Her Jezebel could have used more scorn and the well known number ‘O rest in the Lord’, though sweetly sung, lacked conviction.

The choir had some splendid moments. The terzetto of female voices, Lift thine eyes, was very well done, and the chorus that followed was equally lovely. There were commendably stirring performances of some of the dramatic sections, for example the increasingly desperate prophets of Baal and the angry mob stirred up by Jezebel’s rabble rousing. The orchestra provided excellent accompaniment, establishing from the outset a fine sense of dramatic tension presaging the conflicts and crises to come. They supplied some vivid scene painting, be it drought, storm, fire, or whirlwind, and were equally effective in the quiet lyrical passages and in the tuttis. Nick Cleobury’s energetic and meticulous direction was, as always, a joy to watch.

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