These days of modernity and medicines we protected from so much, but Easter remains a brutal story from ancient/mediaeval history. I felt this with a jazz gig on Good Friday evening but primarily with a concert for Holy Week at Wesley in the afternoon. The music was Buxtehude Membra Jesu Nostri, a great powerful work of early baroque (I guess) with five voices and accompaniment with a theme of Christ on the Cross expressed in 7 short movements totalling ~60 minutes: ad pedes; ad manus; ad genua; ad latus; ad pectus; ad cor; ad faciem. That is, an immersion in the horrors of crucifixion, specifically this one: contemplations on the feet, knees, hands, sides, breast, heart and face. Not at all modern, but powerful, not least in Latin. Each movement started and ended with a SSATB "concerto" then arias by various individual voices or parts. Accompaniment was mainly violin, viola, cello, harpsichord, but for some time, adding organ and viola da gamba 1,2. All period instruments. And this was a stunning experience, so well sung by several of our local luminaries, and similarly accompanied. Just a work of power and beauty seldom experienced. Stunning.
Buxtehude Membra Jesu nostri was performed at Wesley Church on Good Friday. Performers were Greta Claringbould and Jade McFaul (sopranos), Maartje Sevenster (alto), Dan Walker (tenor), Andrew Fysh (bass), John Ma (violin), Lauren Davis (viola), Clara Teniswood (cello), Rachel Walker and Caroline Downer (violas da gamba), Marie Searles (harpsichord) and Ariana Odermatt (organ).
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