Woodstock Music Society continues to go from strength to strength, as Friday’s performance of Bach’s technically demanding Mass in B Minor amply demonstrated. It would be easy for such a large choir to become a little ragged around the edges, but the singers fused together beautifully, making a gloriously cohesive and confident sound. True, the sopranos slightly outnumbered the other sections, but there was never a feeling that they were dominating; the balance of the four sections was well maintained throughout, while the orchestra gave sensitive but solid support.

The powerful opening Kyrie eleison was an arresting moment, with conductor Paul Ingram ensuring that the choir gave it the full dramatic value it deserved. That same energy infused choruses such as the Gloria in excelsis and Osanna, which were delivered with appropriate exuberance, while the more sober numbers, such as those that make up the Credo, were sung movingly and expressively. Only the Cum Sancto Spiritu, for some reason, had a slightly messy entrance, as if the increased tempo had caught the choir unawares. But otherwise this was an impressive showcase of choral singing at its best; clear diction, crisp entries and a lovely tone that was sustained right through to that final, uplifting Dona nobis pacem (Grant us peace). Impressive stuff.

No less impressive were the four soloists. Soprano Siona Stockel, while not possessing a hugely powerful voice, nevertheless sang with great beauty, simplicity and clarity, her first solo, Laudamus te, sounding particularly lovely. Lucie Špièková’s rich mezzo was ideally suited to the poignant Agnus dei, and the pair blended well in the Christie eleison and Et in unum Dominum. Tenor Ian Barratt occasionally appeared to be struggling to reach his top notes, but he managed a moving Benedictus. No problems, though, with baritone John Lofthouse, whose glorious accounts of Quoniam tu solus sanctus and Et in spiritum sanctum were, for me, among the evening’s highlights.