Wells Bach Society at St Thomas's

Walking from our home to the St. Thomas Church after dark is like a stroll through the campus of Wells Cathedral School. All the lights are on in the great Georgian mansions, students wrapped up against the mist dart from house to house while there is much gossiping and giggling around the secluded, arched front doors.

Around 100 people attended the St. Thomas's Bach concert yesterday evening (pictured).


We started and ended with choral works, Motets, which seem to be funeral pieces (although in the Lutheran theology these are joyful sendings off). The new Wells Bach Society Chorus did a good, competent job but they are still settling in and I didn't get any spine-tingling moments.

Jane Finch played the Oboe, the lead role in Geminiani's "Sonata in E Minor for Oboe and Basso Continuo" and a tuneful and melodic work it is. The electric organ (played by Christopher Tambling, pictured below in preparation) in harpsichord mode was perhaps a trifle too loud.


The most impressive piece of the evening was Cressida Nash playing solo cello in Bach's "Suite No. 3 in C Major" (BMV 1009). This is a Prelude followed by dance variants (Allemande, Courante, Sarabande, 2 Bourrees, Gigue) requiring enormous speed, endurance and precision: Cressida played her heart out.

We have the Christmas Oratorio to look forwards to at St. Cuthbert's on Saturday Nov. 27th, 7. 30 pm.