The award winning Adelaide Chamber Singers in association with Adelaide Festival 2014, presented Late Night in the Cathedral, the complete motets of JS Bach, in what has to be the most appropriate and ultimate of venues, St. Peter’s Cathedral in North Adelaide.
The six motets were delivered over two evenings, with program one on Monday 3 March, Komm, Jesu, komm BWV 229 Chaconne (from Bach’s Partita No. 2 for solo violin) Lobet den Herrn, alle Heiden BWV 230 Immortal Bach 1 (for unaccompanied chamber choir) by Knut Nystedt Jesu meine Freude BWV 227 and program two on Wednesday 5 March, Fürchte dich nicht, ich bin bei dir BWV 228 Sarabande & Gigue (from Bach’s Partita No. 2 for solo violin) Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf BWV 226 Immortal Bach 2 by Knut Nystedt Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied BWV 225.
The twelve male and thirteen female members of the choir were lead by passionate Artistic Director and Conductor Carl Crossin and gloriously supported by Hilary Kleinig on Cello, Harley Gray on Double Bass and Joshua van Konkelenberg on the chamber organ.
In a place generally reserved for worship, the grandeur of St. Peter’s Cathedral created an awe-inspiring setting for the angelic tones and harmonies of this disciplined group. The attentive audience sat mesmerised and silenced, like a devoted congregation receiving the word of the Lord. In fact, it was as if the heavens had opened up for the outpouring of their majestic sounds that gently caressed and soothed the audience.
To bear witness the impulse of the music as it physically moved people in their chairs was like watching an electrical current pulsing through the audience. You could have heard a pin drop during the baroque violin solo performed by Lucinda Moon.
The expansive and transporting Late Night at the Cathedral forms part of the 2014 season, which also includes a trip to France later in the year to perform at the Polyfollia International choir festival.
The Adelaide Chamber Singers were formed in 1985 by their current director and during their twenty plus years history, have established a reputation as one of Australia’s leading chamber choirs including an outstanding award winning trip to Europe in 2013.
© Patricia Herreen 2014