reviewvancouver: Early Music Vancouver - Summer Festival 2024 - Bach Untamed Bach Motets: Vanish! Spirits of Gloom- Elizabeth Paterson

The brilliant Bach family was gorgeously showcased in EMV's programme of Bach Motets. Not the Bach family best known today, Johann Sebastian Bach and his musical sons, but Johann Sebastian and members of his extended family back through three generations, Johann Bach, (1604-1673 ), Johann Michael (1648-1694), Johann Christoph (1642-1703) and Johann Ludwig (1677-1733).

Motets- little word pieces - were for voices, supported this evening by delicate continuo work from Alexander Weimann, organ, and Diederik van Dijk, cello, with words by German writers on sacred themes, or drawn from Biblical texts. Extensive or brief, the over-arching theme of the programme was joy, even when enduring adversity, hardship and death.

The vibrant group of eight singers in various combinations of double choir, quintets, quartets, trios, and solo used the Christ Church acoustics to fine advantage, sometimes enfolding the audience in waves of counterpoint or soaring high. Particularly effective was the separation of the two choirs, one in the chancel and one in the loft high at the back of the church for Johann Bach’s “Unser leben ist ein Schatten". Whether the the beauty of the alto voices, especially in the trios, the intricacy of the quintets, Blažíková's brief, shining solo, the interweaving of the fugues, all and more memories were glints woven into a whole, consistent musical fabric.

Alexander Weimann spoke feelingly about the emotions to be found in these motets and he drew out performances highly sensitive to the spirit behind the words. Technical skill, well-balanced sound and clear diction and carefully chosen dynamics were the foundation.

Weimann also introduced special and deeply satisfying new elements to the evening. Haitham Haidar sang in Arabic. Beautifully expressive, Haidar managed to convey the same line of emotional thought as the motets hold; we scarcely needed to be told the song spoke on similar themes. Secondly Shruti Ramani, improvised against Ludwig Bach’s motet in Hindustani style, liquid, rapidly virtuosic and richly ornamented. Both were elegantly accompanied by Alon Sariel on oud.

Altogether, this was an evening of contemplation and joy, beautifully performed.