THE University of York pushed the boat out for its annual Lenten oratorio by importing the Royal Northern Sinfonia to accompany Bach’s St Matthew Passion on Wednesday evening.

It enabled conductor Peter Seymour to keep to Bach’s dual-orchestra layout, and it guaranteed a particularly high calibre of soloists in the obbligato parts.

Bradley Creswick, for example, was the superbly stylish violinist in the alto’s Erbarme dich, while his opposite number, Kyra Humphreys, despatched her bass aria accompaniment with considerable aplomb. Richard Boothby was the agile gambist.

There were no separate soloists for the tenor and bass arias, which were added to the Evangelist and Christus roles.

Along with the orchestra, Matthew Brook was the mainstay of the evening, a Christus of measured authority and gravitas, and one whose sufferings were also palpable. To that he added arias of immense engagement, sung without score.

As the Evangelist, Charles Daniels was not his usual self. Although his narrative was typically impassioned, his highest notes were too often fudged: either shortened or given in a brittle falsetto. The additional arias offered him little respite.

Going from strength to strength, Bethany Seymour’s bright tone illuminated the soprano arias. Mezzo-soprano Margot Oitzinger, although idiomatic, lacked resonance in the lower reaches of her contralto arias.

Choristers were uniformly authoritative in the minor roles. The choir, brisk in the chorales, was equally alive to dramatic potential in the choruses; Peter Seymour conjured a satisfying sense of dance from them at the start and finish.