The Countertenor: Bach's Holy Spirit with Reginald Mobley - Review

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Wed 09 Apr 2025

The Cathedral of St Steven

In the quiet majesty of The Cathedral of St Steven, Bach Akademie Australia, under the deft direction of Madeleine Easton, presented a profoundly moving and spiritually rich evening titled The Counter Tenor - Bach’s Holy Spirit. The evening was anchored by the luminous artistry of countertenor Reginald Mobley, whose voice offered a breathtaking vessel through which the sacred heart of J.S. Bach’s music came alive. Mobley’s larger-than-life stage presence exudes warmth and joy in communicating beauty.

Mobley’s opening with the aria "Vergnügte Ruh" from Cantata BWV 170 immediately enveloped the space in serenity, the purity of his tone perfectly matched to the contemplative intimacy of the work. One caveat would be that (with no amplification) Mobley’s beautiful but light voice meant that at times, we were straining to hear him. He brought a deeply human vulnerability to "Schlummert ein" from BWV 82a, drawing out the gentle resignation and spiritual longing at the core of the piece. In perhaps the evening’s most arresting moment, Mobley’s "Agnus Dei" from the Mass in B Minor held the room in stillness—his phrasing imbued with a subtle, aching intensity that seemed to hover in the air long after the final note.

Easton’s leadership was at once sensitive and precise, guiding the ensemble with clarity and warmth. Her arrangement of Clans by Troy Russell for solo violin offered a stunning and respectful moment of cross-cultural reflection, weaving a contemplative Indigenous voice into the Baroque fabric of the evening. Her own performance on violin displayed poise and conviction, particularly in the Largo and Allegro Assai from Bach’s Sonata No. 3 in C major, BWV 1005, where her interpretation balanced both lyricism and vigour.

The ensemble playing throughout the evening was exemplary, especially in the intimate textures of the Obbligato Sonata No. 2 in A, BWV 1015. The ensemble maintained an expressive dialogue with Mobley, never overpowering, always in elegant conversation with his vocal line.
The concert concluded with Cantata BWV 54 "Widerstehe doch der Sünde", a powerful final statement. Here, Mobley’s vocal command and dramatic instinct shone, delivering Bach’s moral exhortation with both gravitas and grace.

This was not merely a concert; it was a meditation - a rare communion of performer, composer, and listener. In this sacred space, Bach’s music became a living testament to the human spirit’s capacity for beauty, struggle, and transcendence.

Artists
Madeleine Easton Artistic Director
Reginald Mobley countertenor
Bach Akademie Australia

Program
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata BWV 170, aria 'Vergnügte ruh'
Obbligato Sonata No. 2 in A, BWV 1015
Cantata BWV 82a, aria 'Schlummert ein'
Largo and Allegro Assai from Sonata No.3 in C, BWV 1005
Mass in B minor BWV 232 'Agnus Dei'
Aria from BVW 201 'Aufgeblasne Hitze'
Troy Russell arr. Madeleine Easton
Clans for solo violin
Johann Sebastian Bach
Cantata BWV 54 'Widerstehe doch der Sünde'

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