The Melbourne Singers | The Crucifixion
April 5, 2023, Kew Baptist Church
A few weeks ago the management of the BBC attempted to axe the BBC Singers, a much loved professional choir formed in 1924. The outrage was palpable and BBC management were forced to ‘suspend’ the decision.
The Melbourne Singers formed around the same post-war period in 1932 and while there is no threat of closure, if they dared to ‘give up the ghost’, I’m sure there would be outrage as well.
What a joy to hear around 40 choristers – my apologies, too many to count and no list in the program – under the very competent control of conductor and music director Ian F. Lowe, accompanied by the hard working organist John Keuneman, perform a Holy Week staple: John Stainer’s The Crucifixion.
Stainer wrote the work in 1887 for parish choirs exactly like The Melbourne Singers, made up of talented non-professional musicians and skilled soloists, incorporating a few hymns/chorales for congregational participation.
The Crucifixtion is obviously influenced by Bach with its impassioned recitative and chorales. This makes sense when you think Mendelssohn was active in the years just before Stainer, and was responsible for the Bach revival which swept Europe at that time. A prestigious vocal talent himself, at the age of 14, Stainer was singing in the first English performances of St Matthew’s Passion.
The narrator and character roles in the work are shared between two voices. Christopher Busietta was the Tenor Soloist, and a superb addition to the ensemble. And as Bass Soloist, Barry Fry was outstanding. He let me know it was his 37th time singing this role. I do hope he keeps singing the role many more times, as he really did know his stuff. Both were well matched in these roles.
Despite being familiar with the great anthems, God so loved the world, and, Fling wide the grates! I’m not a ‘Stainer tragic’, as some in the choir described themselves. However, I joined in, singing heartily with the whole audience for the chorale-like hymns that are dotted through the work. A bit of audience participation, supported and improved no end by the choir. Such fun!
Even though it was obvious many in the choir could have sung the whole work backwards, the delivery wasn’t tired and definitely aided by the addition of Bruckner’s Tantum Ergo and the two congregational hymns which bookended the concert: Ride On, Ride On in Majesty and When I survey the wondrous cross.
Community choirs like The Melbourne Singers are gifts to both the choristers and to us, the audience. And just like the BBC Singers do in the UK, The Melbourne Singers hold a special place in the musical and cultural life of this city.
After all, communities that sing together, stay together.
