Bach: St John Passion

"There's no doubting the choir's passion and poise, whether as a baying mob … or in the expressively balanced unaccompanied chorale verses … Layton's pacing is compelling … It's crowned by Iestyn Davies's sublime account of 'Es ist vollbracht', his pure alto wrapped around the obbligato pathos of Richard Tunnicliffe's viola da gamba. Both Carolyn Sampson's arias are priceless."