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‘Although JS Bach did not compose in that genre, his two Passion settings have all the ingredients of opera. They tell the Christian Easter story through a narrator with responses from the characters involved and the following crowd. Sussex Chorus successfully took on this momentous task with the St John Passion in St Andrew’s, Burgess Hill on Saturday, March 26th. Stephen Brown brilliantly led from the front both as evangelist and conductor, supported by the fine Rosenau Sinfonia and an excellent cast of soloists.

The St John Passion is a work of great drama, moving through a raft of emotions, with the emphasis falling on the choir to reflect these changes of mood. From the opening ‘Hail, Lord and Master’, the more antagonistic accusation of Peter, the hounding of Pilate to release Barrabus and the spiteful condemning of Jesus to the Cross, all interspersed with reflective Chorales, Sussex Chorus were able to convey the required contrasting urgency and commitment to the cause with great assurance, particularly in the strident choruses leading to the Crucifixion.

Bach’s highly evocative orchestration of the work’s arias is a masterclass in effect. Helena Cooke’s two beautifully crafted arias were spell-binding, with the achingly impassioned ‘cello obbligato in ‘It is fulfilled’ a real tour de force of emotion. Rosanna Harris’ demanding arias with the flute echoing her vocal line in ‘I follow thee gladly’, joined by the Cor Anglais in ‘O heart, melt in weeping’ were both highly charged. Jon Openshaw made his debut with this choir taking the role of Pilate, particularly effective in the aria ‘Haste all ye whose souls are weary’ with the choir’s interjections of ‘Where to?’, a very taxing contrast of musical line very well negotiated. Jesus’ role, accompanied by the strings, is largely one of dialogue through recitatives but in the short arioso,’ Come ponder, O my soul’, Pauls Putnins expression of Christ's agony was intense and moving. The tenor Ted Black has a fine, powerfully even voice and his impeccably performed, technically difficult arias showed enviable control of line with clear diction. Rosenau Sinfonia, excellent in all departments, were expertly underpinned by Jeremy Weaver on continuo chamber organ.

Sussex Chorus deserve high praise for a committed and well-prepared performance to a full-house, appreciative audience, especially welcome after this hiatus of the last two years. Under their maestro, Stephen Brown, they have a bright future.’

Simon Austin

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