A work of immeasurable grandeur and spiritual depth, it owes its emotional drama to its timeless compound of Christian tradition and musical invention, all of which were brought to bear in this extraordinary performance. Bringing together musicians from across the city, Winchester Philharmonic Choir was joined by Winchester Cathedral Chamber Choir, as well as boys from Winchester College Choral Society, and, the youngest being only 9 years old, our very own troupe of Pilgrims' Quiristers. Accompanied by effortless brilliance by the Oxford Bach Soloists, with professional singers of breathtaking calibre taking the solo roles, Sarah Baldock's superb direction brought forth, in her own words, the near-miracle that lies at the heart of such wide-reaching choral collaboration. The result was, simply, a triumph.

For the Quiristers, whose week saw considerable disruption to daily routine as they adapted to an ad-hoc schedule of rehearsals, this was the unparalled opportunity to sing as part of a new, and much larger, group; to experience baroque pitch – a semi-tone below the usual - and to both see and hear period instruments in use. Indeed, the instrumental solos in the Mass were one of its many highlights. Both technically stretching and profoundly enriching, the combined choirs mastered Bach's intricate score with impressive assurance, bringing the cyclical rise and fall of the Mass to its final, ringing conclusion. A compendium of musical styles, this ranged from the polyphony and contrapuntal texture of the Renaissance tradition to the taut chromaticism of Bach's most untrammelled harmonic language. For those of us in the audience, this compelling performance both raised our spirits and deepened our gratitude to all of those who brought it so very vividly before us. 

Huge congratulations to all involved in this fabulous undertaking, musicians and administrators alike, with especial thanks to Mr McCann and Mr Leslie, for shepherding the boys through this invaluable musical experience. 

Anna Elliot
Q Parent