Handel: Messiah - The Evening Standard
The conductor Stephen Layton brought the 20-piece orchestra of Canzona in like a butler airing an ancient bedspread last night. The difficulty with Messiah this late in Advent is freshness, but Mr Layton and his forces, who have been burning the Handel at both ends for weeks, achieved unselfconscious routine perfection here. The performance had vitality, direction, purpose and intensity. The young, 22-voice choir, Polyphony, looked whacked, dazed even, but they tutted their tees and sped along their semiquavers with such bright, rhythmic unanimity at Mr Layton's agility-testing tempi that the detailed brocade in the weft of the marvellous bedspread was seen in its most beautiful and inspiring light.
The tenor, John Mark Ainsley, stilled the crowd with the seamless beauty of his voice in Comfort Ye, and chilled them at the veiled accusation, while replacement soprano, Catherine Bott sang with simple conviction, the counter-tenor, James Bowman spat out He Was Despised and the bass, Michael George sang robustly - but was outshone by brilliant valveless trumpet-playing in The Trumpet Shall Sound.
Mr Layton's concerts are a regular must. Book now for Easter, which is early next Year.
Rick JonesSee concert details...