BBC National Chorus of Wales; Huddersfield Choral Society; London Symphony Chorus; BBC National Orchestra of Wales; Toby Spence, tenor; Thierry Fischer

Reading the programme notes, I realised I was at the first prom performance of Berlioz’ Grande messe des morts under John Pritchard back in 1960. It is no wonder I have an enduring love of the work. At that time we had no television, no gramophone, no telephone and only a small radio. The work left an indelible impression, and coming to it again last night was no less exciting.

Some purists might complain about Thierry Fischer’s decision to place the ‘off-stage’ bands behind the orchestra but the gain in aural impact is immense. This was not just true of the glory of Tuba mirum but later passages which draw on the extra brass and percussion. I had not realised that even in the final bars of the work the off-stage timps are still rolling.

The choral forces, particularly the men, were a match for this brass onslaught, but time and again it was the delicacy both of the individual solo players and the choral sections which impressed. The a cappella setting of Quaerens me became all the more effective in contrast to the majestic weight of Rex tremendae, which was taken at a furious pace.

The Offertorium was presented as a gentle sorbet between the pain of Lacrimosa and the sweetness of the Sanctus. Surprisingly, the only problem came from Toby Spence. His accomplished and lyrical tenor should be ideal for the work, and he has sung it a number of times before. However, from the start, it was obvious he was having difficulty and while some notes rang cleanly, others were foggy or ill-focussed. He got through without any series break in the voice but it was clear he was not at his best.  

The massive forces were not without the occasional slip but Thierry Fischer showed a clear command of the score and carried it forward with aplomb. It will be worth catching again on the iplayer to reconsider the impact of the total forces on air. BH