Crouch End Festival Chorus Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis

Not only did his epic 9th Symphony receive its first performance but, a month earlier, the Missa Solemnis also premiered.

The sublime quality of his output is mind boggling and the Crouch End Festival Chorus – accompanied by The Hanover Band – did it justice at their latest concert in Alexandra Palace’s atmospheric theatre.

The great choral blast of the Missa Solemnis’ opening Kyrie eleison was quickly echoed by three of the soloists.

The Crouch End Festival Chorus was accompanied by The Hanover Band and conducted by David Temple. (Image: David Winskill) Chorus director of music and conductor for the evening David Temple had placed them behind the orchestra so producing a wonderful effect where their voices seemed to soar from the middle of the chorus.

Then, all four of them (Sarah Tynan, Judy Louie Brown, Benjamin Hulett and Neal Davies) combined beautifully to produce an extraordinary weaving play on the Christe Eleison, evoking swallows chasing one another on a summer’s evening.

Led by the magnificent, controlled urgency of the Chorus, the insistent Gloria followed: a celebration and statement of the pure glory of God – Quoniam tu solus altimus: For Thou are the most high.

The opening of the Credo (a shouted ‘I believe, I believe, I believe’) reminded many in the audience of the raw passion to be found in Gospel Music.

The tone softened to a tender murmur with the mention of the Virgin Mary. The crucifixion, deadly sombre, then the great declaration and conviction at the heart of Christian faith – Et resurrexit tertia die. 

This was the fifth time that CEFC has performed the Missa Solemnis but there was no sense of going through the motions.

Every nuance, every inflection was planned and determinedly drawn out of the chorus, the soloists and The (excellent) Hannover Band by David Temple.

The work is certainly not “solemn” in the sense of being over formal: it is a piece that is studded with snatches from Beethoven’s symphonies and other works and offers performers the chance to be passionate to the point of fervour.

The Chorus was simply brilliant.  Their body language and full-on engagement with the piece produced a remarkable performance and, for the rapt audience, the fulfilment of the dedication Beethoven wrote on the score: ‘From the Heart – May it return to the heart!’

For future concerts visit www.cefc.org.uk/events