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British Music Society

Passiontide by Simon Mold (b. 1957) is described both as ‘A Lenten Cantata for soloists, choir and organ’ or ‘Scenes from the Gospels’, ‘an account of the Passion of Christ, with reflective meditations’. Both the Gospel Scenes and the Reflective Meditations are fully delivered with the Meditations, Sentence, Motet, Psalm and more, carrying much of the emotional response.

The Gospel scenes include The Last Supper, The Garden of Gethsemane, The Trial by Pilate and the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus. The principal part in the delivery of these scenes goes to tenor, Philip Leech. His voice comes across as earthy and emotionally involved, which in this work I thought was right, rather than the clear-ringing tenor detachment found in some such works. There are indeed passages one recognises as traditional recitative where the organ tries to imitate harpsichord, but often the flavour of English art song takes over in both voice and organ.

The character parts are sung by singers closer to the bel canto ideal. Baritone Stephen Cooper as Jesus is particularly good, as is Jeremy Leaman’s deep voiced Pilate. Soprano Helen Bailey is excellent in a number of parts, Mary, Mother of Jesus and in one astonishing section, the Voice of the Cross itself!

The Knighton Consort has nine voices conducted by Roxanne Gull. They are brilliant in the five Hymns included in the performance, suggesting the influence of Stainer’s The Crucifixion. I particularly enjoyed the first hymn, God of unexampled grace. The CD is worth it for that piece alone. Both the music for soloists and a multiplicity of choral sections are well done.

There are many different style changes in Mold’s writing. Overall, lavish romantic English song is to the fore in many pieces alongside more traditional church choral writing. The influence of Finzi is mentioned in the booklet to which I would say, ‘Yes!’ and Britten, well no, I don’t think so. Above all, in both the composer’s eclectic choice of text and of variety of musical style, even including Bach a couple of times, this is a work worth hearing both for true believers and for those interested in English music. I certainly cannot think of anything else quite like it.