Topic: Bach: Mass in B minor

[KevinP]

Was a time when I could say I had every Mass recording in print and then some, but I've only kept up in spurts. The Dijkstra isn't even listed on Amazon.com except in the complete box (but is on the .uk site), so no, I don't have this one. What did you like and not like about it?

[Verena]

What I liked the first time round is the fact that the interpretation sounded introverted to me, having a nice « flow ». On second hearing, I found the interpretation - the Kyrie especially - not sufficiently « expressive ». So I guess what I liked the first time is roughly what I didn’t like the second time. However, I did like the soloists on both hearings.

[dissily Mordentroge]

Now, now.  according to the one true faith (Catholic) the Lutheran church itself was heresy.   

According to Rome, still is.
I’ve gone off all the ‘romanticised’ earlier recordings these days tending to reach for the Van Veldhoven conducting the Netherlands Bach Society. My only doubt is the somewhat ‘sleepy’ introduction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FLbiDrn8IE

[aligreto]

JS Bach: Mass in B minor [Hengelbrock]





This is a version that I have warmed to [more] over the years. I was OK with it originally but, at the same time, I was not overly enthusiastic about it. My original contention was that it lacked fluidity and presence. The older me still holds to these premises, particularly where we have a soloist accompanied by less dense orchestration and also in its slower movements that I feel the performances are not as consistently good. That is where it loses its way for me. It is slower overall thereby losing some of its urgency and impact. I think that consistency is the main issue here. However, all forces perform admirably, instrumentalists, choral and solo vocalists.

[Que]

JS Bach: Mass in B minor [Hengelbrock]

This is a version that I have warmed to [more] over the years. I was OK with it originally but, at the same time, I was not overly enthusiastic about it. My original contention was that it lacked fluidity and presence. The older me still holds to these premises, particularly where we have a soloist accompanied by less dense orchestration and also in its slower movements that I feel the performances are not as consistently good. That is where it loses its way for me. It is slower overall thereby losing some of its urgency and impact. I think that consistency is the main issue here. However, all forces perform admirably, instrumentalists, choral and solo vocalists.

What are you favourites?   

Q

[aligreto]

JS Bach: Mass in B minor [Fasolis]





When I first bought this version many years ago I remember being somewhat disappointed with it. However, I have changed my opinion over the years. I now take it for what it is; a straightforward and more devotional take on this work as opposed to the more “laboured” label I gave it back then. The pacing is not, in fact, as slow as I had perceived it before. The performances are more than fine from all forces, both instrumentalists, choral and solo vocalists. It has grown on me with time.

[aligreto]

What are you favourites?   

Q

Hello Que. My favourite Mass in B minor is the original performance by Gardiner [Archive Productions]. I also very much like Herreweghe [Virgin] and Bruggen [Glossa] and of course Harnoncourt. Of the "newer" versions that I have heard I do like van Veldhoven. Of course, special mention also has to go to Jochum for a wonderful, "old School" performance.

[KevinP]

The work I once totally obsessed over.

I remember liking the Fasolis above though I'd have to listen to it again to remember why.

I think the harpsichord in the continuo was more prominent, and I always like hearing a harpsichord in this piece.

[Jo498]

Fasolis is very good with very good soloist (overall considerably better soloists than Gardiner/DG Archiv). IIRC he was not the first but one of the first with a fastish dramatic Crucifixus section. As I have not been following more recent recordings, I don't know if this is more common nowadays.

[knight66]

The work I once totally obsessed over.

I remember liking the Fasolis above though I'd have to listen to it again to remember why.

I think the harpsichord in the continuo was more prominent, and I always like hearing a harpsichord in this piece.

I remember that well. I think you started a thread about the B Minor and wrote what must have been about the longest post ever which was so thorough and knowledgeable that it was not added to.

Mike

[Jo498]

BTW I cannot see how one could see the Fasolis as "slow" unless compared with the most hyperkinetic versions there are. By a brief glance at the track times it seems though, that Fasolis is bit slower than Gardiner in some "fast" sections but faster in some "slow" sections, such as the Crucifixus, Qui tollis, Sanctus, Agnus Dei.

[KevinP]

I remember that well. I think you started a thread about the B Minor and wrote what must have been about the longest post ever which was so thorough and knowledgeable that it was not added to.

Mike

I

Wow. Thanks, Mike!

[vers la flamme]

This work mystified me for a long time until really clicking with me roughly 1.5 months ago. I cannot attribute this change to any particular recording, but the music all started making sense to me and now I love the whole thing. Definitely one of my favorites in all Bach.

I think my two recordings are about as vanilla as it gets: Gardiner/Archiv and Richter/Munich on the same label. Of these I think I ultimately do prefer the Richter. Amazingly sung and played. Next I think will be Leonhardt, though I'm not yet ready to pull the trigger on yet another B minor Mass.

[Handelian]

The Mass in B minor recording by Karajan with the Vienna Symphony around 1950 is great stuff ...

This is actually surprisingly 'modern' in its approach, more so than HvK's DG remake (which he was disappointed with). At the time of its release it was considered quite radical in fact with far livelier tempi than usual. Of course now it appears dated but it is a really good performance of the old style Bach.
For an HIP performance I have a great liking for Herreweghe's with the wondrous Scholl singing the Agnus Dei.

[Ras]

There are many, many good recordings of the B minor mass, but my favorite is Jordi Savall's:

By the way: In December Jordi Savall will release a new recording of the Christmas Oratorio:

[(poco) Sforzando]

I remember that well. I think you started a thread about the B Minor and wrote what must have been about the longest post ever which was so thorough and knowledgeable that it was not added to.

Mike

Can someone link us to that post? thankx.