OSC/Canticum Novum/Geoffrey Spratt

Cantatas 48, 199, 144 - Bach

Sunday afternoon's concert in the Bach series at St. Ann's Church, Dawson Street, was devoted to three cantatas. One of them, No. 199 Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut, was for soprano solo and orchestra. The others, No. 48 Ich elender Mensch and No. 144 Nimm, was dein ist, und gehe hin, were for two and three soloists respectively, plus orchestra, and both had three choral sections.

Under the direction of Geoffrey Spratt, the Orchestra of St. Cecilia played with confidence and rhythmic bite, especially the continuo section, and there were some good solos. Speeds and timing always felt right. However, most of the playing was a bit middle-of-the-road, not inclined to recognise the music's more forceful or subtle aspects.

The 30 members of Canticum Novum - all former members of the Irish Youth Choir - sang robustly, and lines were always clear, even though intonation was occasionally unsteady. What they really need, and what they can undoubtedly achieve, is an identity to their sound, one which would help define expression.

Doreen Curran was standing in at just two days' notice for Colette McGahon, who was ill. She did well in the alto solos, although her rich, operatic tone did not fit with the other soloists. The clear, flexible singing of Helen Hassett (soprano) was a pleasure to listen to, and although Robin Tritschler (tenor) did not always come across with authority, his musicianship and even tone made his contributions a pleasing aspect of this concert.

Neither the choir nor the soloists gave enough prominence to the texts, especially in the recitatives. Like most Baroque music, Bach's sounds best when it seems to spring out of the words.