April 2019, Auckland Town Hall, Bach Musica NZ: Bach’s Mass in Bm

Clare Martin, Radio 13

“Rita Paczian and Bach Musica NZ gifted us a timeless expression of grief and triumph from the stage of the Auckland Town Hall last night… Performing Bach is not for the faint-hearted musician, it is technically as tough as it gets, Bach Musica NZ rose to the occasion with a huge depth of resonance and expressiveness.”

Rainer W. Buhmann, Review

“Bach Musica’s declared disciples have become accustomed to Rita Paczian’s astonishing music-making of the highest order. It is in this frame of mind, that her loyal audience would have paused in anticipation of the performance of the b-minor Mass, a musical creation almost beyond the realistic borders of the human mind and comprehension and stretching the capabilities of the performers… What followed was a spell-binding rendition of a work, interwoven with great energy, vibrancy, tenderness and beauty – an immortal work, for ever leading to new discoveries and insights.

Rita Paczian’s alert, sensitive and understanding leadership from the podium and the harpsicord clearly supported her musicians in this sublime process – thereby lifting their horizons. The tonal intricacy, the almost incomprehensible composite structure of ‘Cum Sanctu Spiritu’ was spell-binding and a true demonstration of the Bach-Genius. It was performed by Bach Musica NZ as the great Master would have wanted it done.”