Bach - Mass In B Minor
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Free Music Notes for Bach - Mass In B Minor
Free Music Review: Excellence in recording; One of my favorite discs
Hit: 5 Stars
I have several recordings of the Bach b-minor mass (Gardiner, Shaw, Harnoncourt and Herreweghe). Herreweghe's recording is the favorite hands-down. His artistic choices are excellent; The orchestra and chorus of Collegium Vocale Gent offer a broad and intense palette for Herreweghe's brush. This small chamber orchestra balances the voices beautifully and more succesfully than a large orchestra (Shaw). What is sacrificed in instrumental blending is more than compensated by the pronounced character of each instrument and the resulting dramatic effect. Rather than use brute force in tutti sections, Herreweghe offers subtly of line, emphasizing the genius of Bach's counterpoint with clarity. At times, an almost-spartan string section acts as a haunting backdrop for the soloists and chorus (best example 'Agnus Dei'). This is not to say that instrumental force is lacking; plenty punches through in the 'Gloria' and 'Et Ressurexit' where required, but the voice reigns supreme.
Chorus texture blends beautifully, at times sounding like powerful 4 and 5 part solo work rather than an ensemble; they lend enough force to carry through the full orchestra. Soloists are remarkable, delivering the text clearly and audibly throughout with solid intonation. I applaud the maestro's choices of sopranos Johannette Zomer & V?ronique Gens (beautiful work in the 'Christe Eleison') and countertenor Andreas Scholl rather than the more common choice of a female alto; Sorry ladies, but the b-minor demands the purity of a countertenor. Scholl's voice is a perfect pairing to the oboe d'amore in 'Qui sedes ad dexteram patris' and the plaintive organ in 'Angus Dei'. Tempi are a bit fast throughout compared to other recordings but used to good effect.
I would recommend this as a first recording to anyone who is new to the b-minor mass , or as a second (third, fourth, or fifth) recording for those who own other performances. Through his period ensemble and sound judgement, Herreweghe elevates the beauty, expressiveness and drama of Bach's secular mass to a sacred status.
Free Music Review: Sublime
Hit: 5 Stars
Caveat: I am only 18 years old and have only been singing/listening to choral music seriously for 3 or 4 years.
Do yourself a favor and get this exquisite recording. There is intense emotion, perfect diction, light production, excellent dynamic contrast, BEAUTIFUL soloists and just about anything else imaginable in this recording. The straight tone, evened-out vibrato sound is to die for.
Some of the most beautiful and moving solo pieces are Scholl's "Agnus Dei", Pregardien and the soprano (forgot her name)'s "Domine Deus", Scholl and the soprano's "Et in Unum Dominum" and Kooy's "Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum". I am not a big fan of Muller-Brachman's voice, but his interpretation of "Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus Dominus" is well done. Ah, and the "Christe Eleison" is absolutely gorgeous, too. Really, there aren't any outright bad solo tracks. Muller-Brachman's "Quoniam" is clearly the worst, and the only one I won't listen to at any given moment.
The "Qui Tollis" movement is possibly the best on the CD. You can sense the long, legato lines that Herreweghe is going for, as if the singers are pulling you along for the ride with their breath connection. The trumpets are absolutely spectacular, especially in the "Cum Sancto Spiritu" movement. If you hear that piece, and don't want to fly out of your chair, something is horribly wrong. There is something distinctively divine about this music, and for me, it is best felt on movements like the "Cum Sancto Spiritu", "Gloria in excelsis deo", "Sanctus", "Ex Expecto" and "Et Resurexit"... The ones with lots of trumpet. However, the "Crucifixus" and "Et Incarnatus est" are nearly as powerful, just in a more subdued way. While the trumpet pieces make you want to jump out of your chair, the slower movements make you want to sink into your chair and just melt. The "Credo in Unum Deum" movement is performed with an excellent sense of counterpoint in this recording, and the only slight criticism I have is that I wish there was a bit more "bass" in some of the movements. However, being a baritone myself, I am a bit biased.
I had the pleasure of singing this piece with the Choral Society of Durham this past May, and this recording is as close to perfect as I have ever found and will likely find in the future. I can not wait to sing such a divinely beautiful work of choral music again.
Free Music Review: Achingly beautiful
Hit: 5 Stars
I'm a big fan of the American Bach Soloists - in many ways I prefer the pace and subtlety of their Mass in B Minor. In contract this version sounds somewhat clipped and precise. But this harmonia mundi version is nevertheless so enjoyable. The Kyrie is exquisite. Qui sedes ... in the Gloria and Agnus Dei sung by Andreas Scholl are worth the price of the CD - perfection. Check out the duet with Scholl and Zomer - wow! I only wish there were more information about the instruments ... it's clear this is performed by period instruments but there is little information about the musicians or the instruments. Considering the artful interplay between voice and instrument on this CD, for example the horn and bass in Quonium to solus in the Gloria - why no credits? Nevertheless this is a CD to enjoy again and again.Free Music Review: The most solid version of Bach's mass I have found
Hit: 4 Stars
Conductors and ensembles who have recorded Bach's mass in B minor are either strong in one aspect of the music, yet weak in another; and either perform an aspect in one extreme, yet are right on target on another aspect. Understanding this, the criteria I use to select a quality recording is finding the conductor and ensemble which lies in the middle of as many extremes as possible. This criteria includes the following= 1. Correct tempo 2.Precision and clarity of notes-not too jumbled on one hand, yet not too choppy and march-like on the other 3.Support and pitch quality of the performer's voices-not the overemphatic bellowing of vibrato, yet not a mouse-like sound of timid, unsupported voices. 4.Strength of ensemble-not the bare minimum of performers, yet not a gargantuan force which presents the notes in a jumbled, unclear fashion. The ensemble who abides by most of these criterium will be the solid choice of performer, yet I have failed to find a recording that pulls off all of these.
"Sigh"... If only one could combine the tempo of the conductor, Robert Shaw; the clarity of notes of conductors Joshua Rifkin and Andrew Parrott; and the flowing quality of notes as well as the pitch quality of Ton Koopman, one would have the perfect ensemble. But despite my pickiness, I believe that I have found the most solid recording of Bach's mass in that of Philippe Herreweghe's version. If not for him, I would certainly recommend Ton Koopman or John Elliot Gardiner's versions. But while those two conductor's ensembles are not only precise and clear, but flowing, and well-supported, they simply take Bach's tempos to rapidly and play as if the world would end at any minute. Instead, it is well-rounded Philippe Herreweghe who makes the most of the criteria mentioned earlier that is the solid choice of Bach's mass.
One may think that all three styles of Gardiner, Koopman, and Herreweghe are very similar, so much so that a person would be satisfied in possessing the recordings of all three of those conductors. However, the tempo that Herreweghe takes, while not being abruptly different, is indeed noticible enough to realize that he is not rushing nor looking at his watch as Gardiner and Koopman do. Listen carefully to Koopman's "Cum Sancto Spiritu" and then to Herreweghe's and you will find out that Koopman's singers labor when singing the "RI" in "SpiRItu" while Herreweghe's singers sing the "RI" clearly and concisely. Another example is, when listening to the joyous "Et Expecto", Koopman's singers sing so rapidly at the climax that you would think that they were sprinting the 100 meter dash in the process, whereas Herreweghe is jogging at a reasonable pace.
If there is a drawback to Herreweghe it is that his singers' voices are a little on the soft side,lacking the full potential of projection. However, such a drawback is not enough to hinder the overall quality of this recording, nor keep me from enjoying this glorious music, music which Bach made for the glory of God.
Free Music Review: Bach's masterpiece conducted by Herreweghe...
Hit: 5 Stars
This recording is really one of my favourites. The sound of the choir and the orchestra is very clear and exact. The "period"-instruments, especially the strings, play softly and beautifully and they leave space to the choir, which is quite small. Herreweghes conducting is fascinating. For example, the first Kyrie, Gloria and Et resurrexit are really vigorously played. The soloists are quite good, especially the both sopranos, tenor and Kooy as bass (Kooys "Et in spiritum sanctum dominum" is most beautifully done). This CD is not probably the cheapest one ever made, but it's surely one of the best.