Bach’s towering B minor Mass seemed to pass by in a flash in Seattle Bach Festival’s performance on Saturday at First Baptist Church – even with a lengthy intermission separating the Gloria and Credo.
With Tekla Cunningham leading from her Baroque violin, the period-instrument orchestra she founded joined forces with the 16-voice Evergreen Ensemble led by David Hendrix in a superbly integrated partnership – all four vocal soloists were drawn from the choir’s own ranks.
I loved how clearly the individual voices emerged from the choral texture with distinctive personalities – while still contributing to the cohesion of the whole. The singers navigated Bach’s intricate, interweaving counterpoint with impeccable precision and expressive force. In the Et resurrexit, singers and the full festive resources of Bach’s orchestra seemed to fuse into one exhilarating mass of sound.
There was much to admire in all four soloists, but I was especially moved by the expressive beauty of Cecilia Duarte’s Agnus Dei. Special praise, too, for Elisabeth Axtell’s marvelous natural horn playing in the Quoniam and the exquisite flute playing in the Domine Deus duet.
This was the second of three performances being presented across the region – a wonderful culmination of the 2026 Early Music America Summit in Seattle. And a remarkable achievement for the Seattle Bach Festival, launched less than two years ago. Bravo to all involved!
Don’t miss Miguel Rodé’s erudite and fascinating deep look into the Mass in B minor on his Cantata Trail site.
Filed under: Bach, music news, review, Seattle Bach Festival
