A Divine Liturgy

Johann Sebastian Bach composed for most musical genres in vogue during his lifetime. But he never wrote an opera. At St. Andrews Presbyterian Church on Sunday, the William Hall Master Chorale presented Bach’s “The Passion According to St. John” in a way that came as close to filling that gap as possible without staging the piece as an opera.

Conductor William Hall used a large chorus, included soloists with meaty voices and balanced them with a small orchestra of period and modern instruments.

The performance of the opening chorus, “Herr, unser Herrscher” (Lord, Thou Our Master), began roughly, jarred with an enormity that seemed more appropriate to the 19th century than to the 18th and muddied the texture.

That said, the overall results of the performance in the Newport Beach church were glorious.

There is arguable validity to Hall’s approach. Bach, a devoutly religious man, continued a centuries-old tradition of liturgical passions with a work that is at once dramatic and personal. Hall touched both aspects in this performance. Without exception, his singers conveyed the content of the text with vivid involvement. As the Evangelist, tenor Jonathan Mack narrated with commanding clarity and conviction. Baritone Richard Fredricks brought the burden of his fate, as the condemned Jesus, to bear with weighty pathos.

The basso continuo part for this is usually played on organ. Hall considered both the dramatic content of the moment and the quality of the voices in his selection. Accordingly, Mack’s pristine recitation was most often backed by the stylish accompaniment of harpsichordist Malcolm Hamilton with cellist John Acosta. Exceptions were made when affections ran highest--as at “Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss in zwei Stuck” (And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain). At those moments, organist Ladd Thomas joined the fortissimo fray.

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Bach’s instructions to use a lute for the chordal accompaniment in “Betrachte, meine Seel” (Bethink thee, o my soul) were filled well by Jeff Cogan, though viole d’amore parts, here and in the following tenor aria, were supplied by violinists Franklin D’Antonio and Edward Stein.

Soprano Patricia Prunty, mezzo-soprano Martha Jane Weaver, tenor Robert MacNeil and bass Louis Lebherz contributed solos marked by heady sensitivity and vocal flexibility, frequently seconded by principal players’ neatly sculpted obbligato parts.

The choral parts--clear and compelling after the opening--ran the emotional gamut from serenity to hysteria but were most affecting in the fluid intimacy of the chorales.