Recent Reviews
Carmina Burana by Carl Orff
Friday 19 September Melbourne Bach Choir and the Australian Children’s choir at Melbourne Recital Centre. Conducted by Rick Prakhoff.
Carmina Burana performed in the version for two pianos (Elyane Laussade and Kathryn Pisani) and percussion.
Melbourne Bach Choir and Carmina Burana?
Now that does seem a very odd coupling. On the one hand we have Bach, a deeply religious composer of sublime sacred music; on the other, one of the most rampantly secular works by a composer, who turned his back on the Roman Catholic Church (though not religion) in his youth. An important factor that does connect Johann Sebastian Bach and Carl Orff is the immense popularity of their choral works – or in Orff’s case one particular work – indicated by frequent performances in Melbourne alone…
… Melbourne Bach Choir stepped up to the exacting musical plate commendably, the men in particular seeming to gain confidence and strength as they went. All choir members managed the tongue-twisting patter of the text successfully, and were obedient to conductor Rick Prakhoff’s firm rein, with careful observance of dynamic contrasts and modulations. There was also good rhythmic cohesion with spot-on final notes.
Elyane Laussade and Kathryn Pisani provided secure underpinning on the two pianos, and timpanist Brent Miller – the hero of the hour for some listeners – was simply terrific as he ensured the thrilling dynamism that makes this work such a winner. They were most ably abetted by members of the Percussion Ensemble.
Reviewed by Heather Leviston for Classic Melbourne
Melbourne Bach Choir’s Magical Carmina Burana
What an absolutely exhilarating and uplifting performance. The fact that the piece is sung in Latin sets us back in history, back into a time steeped in religious fervour, conjuring spirits and the like. Our conductor, Mr Prakhoff, led us through a jolly collection of folksy vignettes, all imbued with the right amount of joy, menace, simplicity, virtuosity, bravado, and excitement. These small modal morsels combine to create this glorious cantata. The piece that we experienced was without full orchestra, but instead was arranged for a reduced orchestra, featuring two pianos and multiple percussion as the stars. However, the real soul of the show were the two vocal ensembles – the Melbourne Bach Choir and the Australian Children’s Choir.
Reviewed by Warren Wills for classiKON
Melbourne Bach Choir’s magical Carmina Burana
J S Bach – St John Passion
Melbourne Bach Choir and Melbourne Broque Orchestra 18 April 2025. Conducted by Rick Prakhoff.
Soloists Christopher Watson, Evangelist, Christopher Hillier,,Jesus with Jacqueline Porter, Sally-Anne Russell, Timothy Reynolds, Jeremy Kleeman and Simon Meadows.
When the Melbourne Bach Choir performed J. S. Bach’s St John Passion at the Melbourne Recital Centre two years ago, I wrote that I hoped it would become as much an MBC Easter staple as his St Matthew Passion – the choir’s foundational work. It would seem it has.
In the key role of Evangelist, the vastly experienced and highly regarded tenor, Christopher Watson, gave a sensitive and musically nuanced but somewhat contained performance, leaving it to the choir and soloists to provide much of the drama.
… As Jesus, baritone Christopher Hillier once again brought a remarkable degree of expressiveness to everything he sang. Even with the lower A415 pitch, he had no trouble with providing rich resonance on the bottom notes. The confrontation with Simon Meadow’s Pilate was particularly effective as they quite literally interacted, not in an overly theatrical way, rather one that brought the story to life. Meadows had the presence and sonorous vocal authority to give us a totally credible Pilate.
… Bass-baritone Jeremy Kleeman and tenor Timothy Reynolds completed the male contingent of this outstanding lineup of soloists. Vocally and musically secure, their voices were well projected, vibrant and most pleasing to the ear at all times
… In one of the happier moments of the Passion, two baroque flutes accompanied Jacqueline Porter’s radiantly clear soprano voice for “Ich folge dir” (I follow you), establishing a practice of featured instrumentalists standing when possible. Flute and oboe da caccia also made a beguiling accompaniment for the moving “Zerfließe, mein Herze” (Dissolve my heart), which ended with a kind of sobbing trill on “tot” (dead). The expressive detail that all singers brought to this performance was astonishing.
… Always engaged and alert to the musical drama whether singing or not, mezzo-soprano Sally-Anne Russell gave a moving performance of this aria, her rich tones darkly poignant in the outer sections and brightly assertive with fluid coloratura in the contrasting middle section.
… Nothing more could have been asked of the Melbourne Baroque Orchestra as individuals or as a whole. The continuo players, led by Donald Nicolson on organ and harpsichord, were exceptional throughout.
Reviewed by Heather Leviston Classic Melbourne
Verdi Requiem
Melbourne Bach Choir in collaboration with the Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra conducted by Rick Prakhoff.
Melbourne Town Hall 14th September 2024
Solists Miriam Gordon-Stewart soprano, Belinda Paterson mezzo-soprano, Tomas Dalton tenor, and Christopher Hillier, baritone.
“Melbourne audiences braved the elements … and gathered at the Melbourne Town Hall to witness The Melbourne Bach Choir and the Zelman Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Rick Prakhoff and with a superb line up of Australian soloists in a memorable performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s triumphant Messa da Requiem.”
“Verdi’s setting of the Requiem, with its integration of his operatic writing and sublime chant-inspired choral writing, was faithfully translated to live performance by the Melbourne Bach Choir, which began in an arresting manner. The choir deftly executed the first sotto-voce phrases in the Reqiuem Aeternam following the first desolate entry of the orchestra strings. The choir’s delicate singing in this movement and in similar moments throughout the work was noteworthy, marked by some particularly fine sustained singing for the sopranos. The angelic chorus in the Lacrymosa engendered a weightlessness that contrasted effectively with dramatic mezzo-soprano Belinda Paterson’s and baritone Christopher Hillier’s combined tonal richness, resulting in an impassioned expression of religious supplication.”
Melbourne Bach Choir in concert
21 April 2024 All Saints Church East St KIlda
“MBC’s Artistic Director and conductor, Rick Prakhoff, assembled an
inspired program that was perfect for an extended Easter season.
..This was a wonderfully uplifting performance and a great credit to
Rick Prakhoff and his spirited contingent of choristers.”
Heather Leviston – Classic Melbourne
“In what turned out to be an inspired break from the tradition of past
years, the Melbourne Bach Choir and Orchestra performed its Easter
Concert three weeks post-Easter and in the place where the choir had
made its debut performance almost two decades previously.
This year’s program offered an alternative to Bach’s Passions in the
form of his oratorios (Easter and Ascension) in a joyful celebration
of the work of the master and a couple of his major fans.”
Elizabeth Quinn – Limelight
Guest Performance with Zelman Memorial Symphony Orchestra
Mahler Symphony No.2 in C minor
Melbourne Town Hall, 10 September 2023.
“The choir was exemplary, with lovely balance and tone. “
“Although both orchestra and choir are non-professional groups, their approach and performance were eminently professional, while Prakhoff’s conducting was clear, controlled and expressive”
Kristina and Bruce Macrae – Classic Melbourne
April 2022 | St Matthew Passion
“An exhilarating performance … admirable ensemble and dynamic flexibility”
Australian Book Review
“Choristers sang with ample resonant tone”
Classic Melbourne
“The assured quality of this performance…”
Limelight
“a sterling interpretation of the long Bach Passion without compromising in any way the work’s requirements”
The Age
“The concert was a triumph”
Classic Melbourne
Past Reviews
The Age
“Lasting some three hours, the challenge in such a monumental work is to find a balance between dramatic momentum and deep meditation.
This performance led by the MBC’s founding artistic director Rick Prakhoff favoured meditation; ….”
“While the use of a large body of singers precluded some of the faster tempos and tighter pacing favoured by many Bach performers today, the MBC and its fine, historically aware orchestra did offer a strong community connection to Bach’s masterwork, further enhanced by streaming on Australian Digital Concert Hall for those of us who couldn’t attend in person.”
Tony Way
Classic Melbourne
“Bach gives the chorus plenty of dramatic moments too as they assume various personas, especially as a bloodthirsty mob keen on inflicting pain, and choosing “Barabbam!” rather than Jesus for release. The Choir was in full-bodied cry for “Laß ihn kreuzigen!” (Let him be crucified) – such a dramatic contrast to the following Chorale “Wie wunderbalich ist doch diese Strafe!” (How amazing is this punishment!). In this and all the combined choir work, choristers sang with ample resonant tone. As with so many amateur choirs, female voices, especially sopranos, tended to dominate, but the thirty men could usually be heard clearly, especially in fugal sections.”
Heather Leviston
Limelight
“Melbourne put on a glorious autumnal Good Friday for the first post-lockdown performance by the Melbourne Bach Choir. JS Bach’s St Matthew Passion was performed in the acoustically and aesthetically breathtaking Elisabeth Murdoch Hall. It was a welcome salve to the hearts of Melbourne concert-goers, believers and non-believers alike.”…
“The story of the crucifixion of Jesus as depicted by Bach is a musical masterpiece that transcends religion. It’s a tale of humanity at its best and worst, put to some of the most sublime music ever written. Under the direction of Rick Prakhoff, the Melbourne Bach Choir and Orchestra worked hard to express the emotional highs and lows of this tragedy: the baying of the crowd, the utter grief of the faithful, the hope for humanity of Mache dich, mein Herze, rein (Make pure my heart) in the closing stages.
The assured quality of this performance of the St Matthew Passion belied the many pandemic-induced obstacles and sheer hard work it took to get there.”
Elizabeth Quinn
No Friend but the Mountains
March 2021
Classic Melbourne “Styles’ orchestration ensured that all sections of Zelman Symphony Orchestra were given opportunities to shine, which they did under Rick Prakhoff’s attentive baton….”
“This was challenging music and it was a huge credit to the mainly amateur musicians and choristers, who comprise the orchestra and the choir. The music is quite complex and demanding at times in its atonality and rapid shifting moods.“
Myer Music Bowl Heather Levison
No Friend but the Mountains
March 2021
“The world premiere of No Friend But The Mountains: A Symphonic Song Cycle, (by Australian composer Luke Styles) ……., was held at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl, sung by Adrian Tamburini with the Zelman Orchestra and the Melbourne Bach Choir, and conducted by Rick Prakhoff. “
“The No Friend But The Mountains: a Symphonic Song Cycle is a relatively short work employing a big production, with a choir and large orchestra. “
“The contribution of the choir is fragmented: truncated observations adding texture and contextualisation. Moments of silence punctuate the music.“
Liza Dezfouli. Arts Hub
Verdi Requiem: Melbourne Bach Choir & Zelman Symphony
September 2019
There were many elements to savour in this rewarding performance. The repeated “Dies irae, dies illa” were sung with all the savage gusto that Verdi’s music inspires, while rhythmic buoyancy was a notable feature of the choral singing as a whole.
Heather Leviston, Classic Melbourne
French Choral Masterpieces
June 2019
The Melbourne Bach Choir’s concert of French choral masterpieces in the Ballarat Central Uniting Church last Sunday added a sensuous touch with the language and harmonies of late 19th and 20th century composers. Under the guidance of conductor Rick Prakoff, the choir gave an impressive performance of works centred on Faure, concluding with his “Requiem”…
The program overall was a perfect balance of sacred and secular choral music. The Melbourne Bach Choir produced a virtuoso performance with excellent shaping of the French and Latin texts. The human musical experience begins with the voice, which remains at the heart of musical expression. This concert shone a light on the elevated possibilities of such expression.
Bronislaw Sozanski, The Courier
J S Bach: St Matthew Passion
April 2019
Uncompromising performance of Bach Passion moving and powerful
Once again, director Rick Prakhoff and his double choir with double orchestra have produced a sterling interpretation of the long Bach Passion without compromising in any way the work’s requirements. Of course, this is ground-base territory for the organisation and you’d expect high quality; what made the experience even more welcome was the honest, straight-from-the-shoulder style of attack, without that unsettling fussiness peculiar to ultra-purists.
…
Alongside the well-disciplined orchestras, led by Madeleine Easton and Zoe Black, both choirs negotiated the complexities of the chorales and choruses with confidence and respectably precise intonation, at their best in those passages where both bodies combine, as in the work’s bookends, in particular the massive sarabande that closes out the Passion – moving and powerful simultaneously.
Clive O’Connell in The Age 21 April, 2019
St Matthew Passion
April 2016
…The choirs played their part well, with tenderness in the familiar Chorales, and vigorous evocation of the bewildered and angry mob who were such a part of the story. Prakhoff proved himself to be far more than a literate and captivating writer, conducting this lengthy work of nearly three hours with a steady hand and an ear for the nuances of the script … Altogether the concert was a triumph…
Suzanne Yanko for Classic Melbourne
J S Bach: St Matthew Passion
March 2016
Melbourne Bach Choir review: St Matthew Passion inspires memorable performances
…Rick Prakhoff conducted a direct, intense reading that avoided the affectations of the ultra-authentic and, while employing a large singing corps, maintained a brisk fluency foregrounding the work’s timeless drama. … the massive framing choruses made a deep impression.
Clive O’Connell in The Age, 28 March 2016
Requiem
September 2015
… it was an excellent, often thrilling performance. … On the days before the concert, I’d been listening to a recording of the Haydn Requiem … but I have to say the recording was no match for the acoustic and dramatic experience of a live performance – so well done and thanks, Melbourne Bach Choir.
Max McLean, Classic Melbourne