I sang in Stainer's Crucifixion this afternoon. Definitely a second-rate work, or possibly not that good. It retains its popularity amongst choirs because it was written with amateur choirs in mind, it's in English, and it's much easier than the good stuff like Bach and Handel. But it's a fine example of its genre - Victorian schmaltz. I sang two short solos, one as a High Priest having a moan about blasphemy and the second as a malefactor on an adjacent cross, telling The Lad 'Imself that if he's the Messiah he can save himself and us by using his Magic Powers.
It was great to sing in a concert again - I think this is my first one since December 2019. The choir has done a couple of others, but I've been
hors concours for one reason or another. Our next one is on 13th May and is a Good One. Beethoven's C major mass and J. S. Bach's motet Jesu meine Freude.
Edit: it crossed (ha!) my mind that Stainer's Crucifixion satisfies the blood-lust of Christians in spring-time.