And though singers, players and listeners may not necessarily believe in the Resurrection, the fact that Bach opens the tomb only in our imagination, after the piece itself has finished, makes the music’s meditation on themes that are very familiar and very human – earthbound even, and tragic – inclusive, regardless of faith.
“All the performers were quite dazed and glowing. Believers and non-believers, and people of different faiths, all experienced a similar sense of exultation.
On the more general question of why religious themes continue to be important to composers – “It depends where you start from. A religious person would have no trouble in understanding it. But religious texts are of course very inspiring, and even agnostic and atheist composers, for example Vaughan Williams, find huge inspiration in these subjects.
“And, well, who cares? It’s the music that’s important. As regards choirs themselves, music and singing have always been a central part of the ritual and pleasure of worship.
“It’s certainly the largest audience the Mayfield Singers have ever had. Circumstances just came together and made it possible for this collaboration with St Mary’s to happen. The Mayfields have been going for twenty years and we never really imagined we’d be tackling something on this scale, but when the opportunity comes along you just have to grasp it.”
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