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Author Topic: Bach's St. Matthew Passion  (Read 193849 times)

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Offline Norbeone

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #20 on: December 13, 2007, 02:55:33 PM »
Quote from: Don on December 13, 2007, 06:47:27 AM
More than any other conductor of Bach's sacred music, Gardiner celebrates God;

Oh man, now i'll have to stop listening to him!    :P


Nah, just joking.......
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Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #21 on: December 26, 2007, 04:36:35 PM »
Quote from: Que on December 10, 2007, 08:13:37 PM
Harnoncourt has always been my favourite in Bach's sacred music, the Matthäus is no exception.

I've had his 1st recording - pioneering HIP in 1971, with boys sopranos.
But his recent recording - all female sporanos - is a marvel and has it all: it's dramatic, pious and elegant.
Not an epic drama, but a very human drama. Harnoncourt's Matthäus has matured: it has lost nothing of its vigour but has deepened and is more balanced. The participating singers are top-notch and seem to have been type-casted for their roles.



Q


After hearing Goerne on another Bach disc, and enjoying Harnoncourt (in every instance I have heard him), I believe this may be the one.
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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

PerfectWagnerite

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #22 on: December 26, 2007, 04:42:13 PM »
I like this one:



Not exactly HIP but I don't care.
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Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #23 on: December 26, 2007, 09:59:15 PM »
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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #24 on: December 26, 2007, 10:21:40 PM »
Anyone have a line on Herreweghe's first recording?
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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #25 on: December 26, 2007, 10:30:08 PM »
Tried the Leonhardt....did not budge me much, which surprised the heck out of me.  Need to still dig for the Harnoncourt....does JPC have it with a different cover?

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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Offline Que

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #26 on: December 26, 2007, 10:33:12 PM »
Quote from: Bogey on December 26, 2007, 09:59:15 PM
May be OOP...

No worries.  :D It has later been issued like this - that should still be available.


(Click for link)

Q
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Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #27 on: December 26, 2007, 10:38:22 PM »
Quote from: Que on December 26, 2007, 10:33:12 PM
No worries.  :D It has later been issued like this - that should still be available.


(Click for link)

Q


Heading to JPC for samples.  Thank you Que!  Right now giving this a run:



http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Matthew-Passion-Matthias-Goerne/dp/B0000365NE/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198737190&sr=1-13
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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

Offline The new erato

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #28 on: December 27, 2007, 03:41:59 AM »
I ave the 2nd Herreweghe (and noted that quite a few reviewers at the time thought it inferior to his 1st, though I find it really good), as well as the Harnoncourt, which I love. But what really threw me, was the McCreesh OVPP performance on Archiv which is the one I would keep if forced to have only one. But in the real world you need both Harnoncourt and McCreesh - they are SO different but both equally valid.
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Offline KevinP

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #29 on: December 27, 2007, 06:00:48 AM »
The Harnoncourt can also be had on DVD-A, which will play in a regular DVD player, just not the high-rez layer. It also has the benefit of being a single disc as opposed to three. Also a video clip and other extras though, if I remember correctly, no subtitles, which would have been nice.
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Offline Dancing Divertimentian

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #30 on: December 27, 2007, 06:36:48 PM »
Quote from: Bogey on December 26, 2007, 10:21:40 PM
Anyone have a line on Herreweghe's first recording?

I give it a mention on page one, Bill. Don (the other Don) likes it, too.

What I like about Herreweghe 1 is his assertiveness...though not assertive as in "pedal to the metal". It's more an enthusiasm - indeed, a palpable single-mindedness! - for fleshing out all sorts of nuances and color, though with a certain electricity running through everything to hold it all together.

Overall I'd say it's this characteristic that puts Herreweghe at the top of the Bach heap for me.


« Last Edit: December 27, 2007, 06:38:19 PM by donwyn »
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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach

Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #31 on: December 28, 2007, 06:41:29 AM »
Quote from: donwyn on December 27, 2007, 06:36:48 PM
I give it a mention on page one, Bill. Don (the other Don) likes it, too.

What I like about Herreweghe 1 is his assertiveness...though not assertive as in "pedal to the metal". It's more an enthusiasm - indeed, a palpable single-mindedness! - for fleshing out all sorts of nuances and color, though with a certain electricity running through everything to hold it all together.

Overall I'd say it's this characteristic that puts Herreweghe at the top of the Bach heap for me.




Is there a link to this one or a cover so I might be able to sample Don?  Is this it?

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Matth%C3%A4us-Passion-Marc-Meersman/dp/B00008MJ9Q/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1198852817&sr=1-9
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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

longears

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #32 on: December 28, 2007, 06:59:19 AM »
Quote from: Bogey on December 28, 2007, 06:41:29 AM
Is there a link to this one or a cover so I might be able to sample Don?  Is this it?

That's it, Bill, but reissued.  I have the original and--like Don and Don--think it's good enough that until now I've resisted buying the much praised Harnoncourt. This link will take you to the original issue with one copy at a good price available from GoHastings, who've always done right by me.
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Offline Bogey

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #33 on: December 28, 2007, 07:17:43 AM »
Quote from: longears on December 28, 2007, 06:59:19 AM
That's it, Bill, but reissued.  I have the original and--like Don and Don--think it's good enough that until now I've resisted buying the much praised Harnoncourt. This link will take you to the original issue with one copy at a good price available from GoHastings, who've always done right by me.

Very helpful link David.  Thank you.  Just sampled the Harnoncourt again, but I failed to mention one other point on this thread when it comes to Bach vocal works that hook me in.  That is, I have found that I seem to enjoy the recordings that make me feel as if I just walked into the sanctuary and the performance was going on.  After MUCH sampling, the Herreweghe seems to trump the Harnoncourt for this reason.  What is ironic, is this is the same reasoning that I usually choose the Harnoncourt over others in Bach performances.  So, I believe it will be the Herreweghe in this case as I am enjoying the samples as I type.  Does not mean that I will not get the Harnoncourt later, but for now, I believe I will punch the Herreweghe ticket and make it a Don, Don, David deal...in an Expresso manner.

(Thank you Que for all the links that you sent me as well for sampling.  Much appreciated, but then you knew that. :))
« Last Edit: December 28, 2007, 07:42:29 AM by Bogey »
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There will never be another era like the Golden Age of Hollywood.  We didn't know how to blow up buildings then so we had no choice but to tell great stories with great characters.-Ben Mankiewicz

longears

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #34 on: December 28, 2007, 07:34:22 AM »
I think you'll enjoy it, Bill.  To me it has gravity, life, clarity, and passion, but without being weighed down by sanctimoniousness.  And I'm grateful for Que's links, too--they just prompted me to pull the trigger on Harnoncourt's later set, largely bacause of Goerne and Fink.
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Offline Que

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #35 on: December 28, 2007, 09:38:12 AM »
So Bill is contemplating to go for Herreweghe I, David already went for Harnoncourt II - will be eagerly awaiting your impressions. :)

The 1st Herreweghe is a strong contender indeed - an issue of personal taste that I have with it, is that I just can't stand René Jacobs as a singer... :-\

Q

PS Bill, if you're looking for the combination of intensity and intimacy, Harnoncourt I is also interesting. It's from 1971, but it has still has much to offer, provided you don't object to boy sopranos (and maybe, because of it's age, not as a first recording).


click for link
« Last Edit: December 28, 2007, 09:49:40 AM by Que »
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longears

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #36 on: December 28, 2007, 10:32:49 AM »
Quote from: Que on December 28, 2007, 09:38:12 AM
The 1st Herreweghe is a strong contender indeed - an issue of personal taste that I have with it, is that I just can't stand René Jacobs as a singer... :-\
Yet another taste we share...though to be fair it's not Jacobs's singing but his voice that rubs me wrong, which is too bad, because otherwise I really love this Buss und Reu.
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Offline Que

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #37 on: December 28, 2007, 10:59:15 AM »
Quote from: longears on December 28, 2007, 10:32:49 AM
...it's not Jacobs's singing but his voice that rubs me wrong...

Absolutely. Luckily in conducting we can enjoy Jacob's superb musicianship. :)

Q
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Offline Shrunk

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #38 on: December 28, 2007, 11:04:57 AM »


Regarding McCreesh.  If you want only one St. Matthew, it shouldn't be this one; it's too atypical.  However, I still think everyone should own it.  One of my desert island recordings.
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Offline Dancing Divertimentian

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Re: Bach's St. Matthew Passion
« Reply #39 on: December 28, 2007, 09:32:43 PM »
Looks like you guys got the Herreweghe recording thing sorted out. ;D

Quote from: Bogey on December 28, 2007, 07:17:43 AM
I have found that I seem to enjoy the recordings that make me feel as if I just walked into the sanctuary and the performance was going on.

I feel the same, Bill.

What's great about Herreweghe is he has the ability to juggle the reverential and the artistic so that one can come away experiencing the (liturgical) power of the music without all the sap. 

Zero fuss...just good music.

BTW, agree with you all about Goerne...stunning singer!!


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Veit Bach-a baker who found his greatest pleasure in a little cittern which he took with him even into the mill and played while the grinding was going on. In this way he had a chance to have the rhythm drilled into him. And this was the beginning of a musical inclination in his descendants. JS Bach
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