This was a journey to the summits of the arts of composing and performing choir music. Vocalconsort Leipzig performed all six motets of St. Thomas' choirmaster Johann Sebastian Bach in one concert. The famous motets for four to eight voices – fugues, finesse and complexity make them a real a challenge that not many choirs would take on. The ensemble consists of 32 young and excellent singers (eight per voice) and was accompanied only by a small continuo group. The director and founder of the ensemble, Gregor Meyer, conducted from memory, using looks and gestures to communicate with the singers who were highly concentrated and at the same time visibly calm and delighted. Meyer loosened up significantly hout the evening until he almost danced while conducting the last motet of the evening: „Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied“.
The performance of the choir was immaculate almost the whole time. In addition to mastering the difficult and complex tunes with ease, the singers conveyed an interpretation of the motets that was well thought out and varied. For example, Meyer built up the fugue „Ihr aber seid nicht fleischlich“ from the motet „Jesu, mein Freude“ evenly throughout the piece. The tempo was chosen with great individuality and care, but always according to the pieces' character. No breaks, no insecurities, not even when the voices ascend to vertiginous heights.
The sopranos' high b flat in „Du bist der rechte Weg“ was truly magnificent. The tenors were shining, the basses always precise – all this combined to form highest musical pleasures.