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Collegium Vocale Gent - Bach: Matthaus-Passion (St Matthew Passion) BWV 244 /Bostridge * Selig * Rubens * Scholl * Gura * Henschel * Collegium Vocale * Herreweghe (+CD-Rom)
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Music CD CoverArtist: Collegium Vocale Gent Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe Performer: Ian Bostridge Performer: Andreas Scholl Performer: Sibylla Rubens Performer: Franz-Josef Selig Performer: Werner Gura Performer: Dietrich Henschel Edition: Music CD Format: Enhanced, Import CD Release Date: 1999-11-16 Music Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr. Soundtracks: Music CD 1- Kommt, ihr Toechter, helft mir klagen
- Da Jesus diese Rede vollendet hatte
- Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen
- Da versammleten sich die Hohenpriester / Ja nicht auf das fest / Da nun Jesus war zu Bethanien / Wozu dienet dieser Unrat / Da das Jesus merkete
- Du lieber Heiland du
- Buss und Reu
- Da ging hin der Zwoelfen einer
- Blute nur, du liebes Herz
- Aber am ersten Tage der suessen Brot / Wo willst du, dass wir dir bereiten / Er sprach: Gebet ihn in die Stadt / Un sie wurden sehr betrubt / Herr, bin ich's
- Ich bin's, ich sollte buessen
- Er antwortete und sprach:
- Wiewohl mein Herz in Traenen schwimmt
- Ich willdir mein Herze schenken
- Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten
- Erkenne mich, mein Hueter
- Petrus aber antwortete
- Ich will hier bei dir stehen
- Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem Hofe
- O Schmerz! hier zittert das gequaelte Herz
- Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen
- Und ging hin ein wenig
- Der Heiland faellt vor seinem Vater nieder
- Gerne will ich mich bequemen
- Und er kam zu seinen Juengern
- Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh' allzeit
- Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend
- So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen / Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken verschwunden
- Und siehe, einer aus denen
- O Mensch, bewein' dein Suende gross
Music CD 2- Ach! nun ist mein Jesus hin
- Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten
- Mir hat die Welt trueglich gericht't
- Und wiewold viel falsche Zeugen herzutraten
- Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Luegen stille
- Geduld, Geduld!
- Und der Hohepriester antwortete / Er ist des Todes schuldig / Da speieten sie aus in sein Angesicht / Weissage uns, Christe
- Wer hat dich so geschlagen
- Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast / Wahrlich, du bist auch einer von denen
- Erbarme dich
- Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen
- Das Morgens aber heilten alle Hohenpriester / Was gehet uns das an / Und er warf die Silberlinge in den Tempel
- Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder
- Sie heilten aber einen Rat
- Befiehl du deine Wege
- Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger / Lass in kreuzigen!
- Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe
- Der Landpfleger sagte
- Er hat uns allen wohlgetan
- Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben
- Sie schrieen aber noch mehr / Lass in kreuzigen! / Da aber Pilatus sahe / Sein Blut komme uber uns / Da gab er ihnen Barrabam los
- Erbarm es Gott
- Koennen Traenen meiner Wangen
Music CD 3- Da nahmen Kriegsknechte / Gegruesset seist du, Judenkoenig / Und speieten ihn an
- O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden
- Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten
- Ja! freilich will in uns das Fleisch und Blut
- Komm, suesses Kreuz
- Und da sie an die Staette kamen / Der du den Tempel Gottes zerbrichst / Desgleichen auch die Hohenpreister / Andern hat er geholfen / Desgleichen schmaeheten ihn
- Ach, Golgatha, unsel'ges Golgatha
- Sehet Jesus hat die hand
- Und von der sechsten Stunde / Der rufet dem Elias / Und bald lief einer unter ihnen / Halt, lass sehen / Aber Jesus schriee abermals laut
- Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden
- Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss / Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen / Und es waren viel Weiber da
- Am Abend da es kuehle war
- Mache dich, mein Herze, rein
- Und Joseph nahm den Leib / Herr, wir haben gedacht / Pilatus sprach zu ihnen
- Nun ist der Herr zu Ruh gebracht
- Wir setzen uns mit Traenen nieder
Free Music Notes for Bach: Matthaus-Passion (St Matthew Passion) BWV 244 /Bostridge * Selig * Rubens * Scholl * Gura * Henschel * Collegium Vocale * Herreweghe (+CD-Rom)Free Music Review: St. Matthew Passion Reborn Hit: 5 Stars
In 1989 Gardiner interpreted Bach's St. Matthew Passion for the label, DG Archiv. Despite the-Gardiner-recording's evident bland, frigid, and impersonal aura (which to some people is called "period style performance"), this recording was called a standard- the rendition of the Matthauspassion to which all others would be compared.
Harnoncourt's release, while a pioneering effort nonetheless, was too rough around the edges, unrefined, and sounded as though layers of academic dust were caked onto it.
Now Gardiner's recording can join Harnoncourt's in the period instrument platitude dominated by stiffness, uneffected orchestras and soloists, and overbearing use of staccato. Herreweghe transcended this Historically-Informed stereotype in the 1980s when he released his rendition of Bach's St. Matthew Passion for Harmonia Mundi the first time, creating a more suave shape to the work as a whole. No longer was it "rough around the edges." His second release of the Passion, recorded here, has even more. It is delicate, clean, somber, yet dramatic, just as the St. Matthew Passion should be. This, I feel, will be the St. Matthew Passion to which all others will be judged. I have yet to hear anything better.
The key to Herreweghe's success in his release is approach of legato instead of staccato, and by taking a look at the enlightening CD-Rom which is part of this grand St. Matthew Passion package, you'll see Mr. Herreweghe has the knowledge to proove his beautiful approach.
(Harmonia Mundi's attractive package includes: the complete libretto, the complete St. Matthew Passion on three discs, and "The Birth of the St. Matthew Passion: An Interactive Journey" CD-Rom with numerous biographies, histories, scholarly notes, the complete Passion with pop-up libretto, and synopsises of each number of the Passion.)
Herreweghe also posesses what Gardiner doesn't, an astute judgement of tempo.
In contrast to Gardiner's impersonality in his St. Matthew Passion, Herreweghe's sense of the work's spitual contemplation is evident throughout, and in effect, the Choir and Orchestra of the Collegium Vocale create a very absorbing recording which is never tedious for a second, and Ian Bostridge's youthfully lithe Evangelist and Josef Selig's effective Christ finally make for a Matthauspassion where you don't find yourself skipping over the Recitatives.
All of the arias are favorites here thanks to the fine soloists, among them: male alto, Andreas Scholl. The Soprano Sibylla Rubens has the appropriate "boyishness," cleanliness, and control for Bach. Her duet with School at the end of Part 1 ("So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen") is the most historically convincing, as well as beautiful, I have ever heard on record.
The double chorus is correctly sized according to Bach's own preferences. In fact, Gardiner's choirs are oversized. Only Herreweghe's uses the most realistic proportions.
Harmonia Mundi's sound quality is clear as a bell. Both orchestras and both choirs are equally audible making every chorale, chorus, and turbae chorus very dramatic indeed (compared to the relatively poor sound quality of the Gardiner recording where the second choir is barely audible, or sounds as though they're placed at the end of some long tunnel, causing Gardiner's forces to lose their "weightiness" in many parts).
This is an overwhelmingly beautiful record, but Herreweghe also keeps in mind that this is sacred music, that is: it is written for the church, and he seems to balance everything out just perfectly.
Philippe Herreweghe's 3+1 CD set is strongly recommended to all Bach lover's alike. But if you still insist on hearing Gardiner's side of the story, buy Gardiner's Highlights of the St. Matthew Passion AND Herreweghe's Complete St. Matthew Passion.
Bach: Matthaus-Passion (St Matthew Passion) BWV 244 /Bostridge * Selig * Rubens * Scholl * Gura * Henschel * Collegium Vocale * Herreweghe (+CD-Rom) PosterThe St. Matthew Passion, Bach's monumental retelling of the story of the Last Supper and the arrest and execution of Jesus, typically runs from two-and-a-half to three hours. Yet this performance makes the time... well, not exactly fly past (consider the subject matter), but it's not tedious for even a second. Much of the credit for this goes to the marvelous Evangelist, Ian Bostridge. He's an outstanding narrator: the clear tone and diction, skillful timing, and intense involvement with words that made him a famous lieder singer are all in evidence; his part consists of nothing but recitative, yet he holds your interest unfailingly. Franz-Josef Selig gives a more dramatic reading of Jesus than you usually hear these days--he may be a bit too "operatic" for some listeners, but he really communicates his character's very human anguish and sorrow. Similarly, soprano Sibylla Rubens, tenor Werner Güra, and bass Dietrich Henschel sometimes unleash a bit too much vibrato for some tastes, but their singing is full-throated and attractive and they're very sensitive to the nuances in the text and music. Superstar countertenor Andreas Scholl is the standout--he combines unearthly purity with very earthly feeling and blends beautifully with the baroque instruments. The real stars of the record, however, are Philippe Herreweghe and his remarkable choir and orchestra. This conductor and his musicians (especially his radiant choir, Collegium Vocale) have always been superb at conveying warmth, devotion, and contemplation, but intense joy, anguish, or anger have sometimes seemed beyond them. Not here: they cover the full emotional range of this work--from reverent reflection to anguished remorse to churning fury--without ever crossing the line into melodrama or sacrificing clarity. On top of all this, you get a CD-ROM chock full of interesting and well-organized information (in English, German, and French): texts as well as an overview with a timeline of Bach's life, a discussion of how the work is put together, marvelous graphics, sound clips, and an extensive interview with Herreweghe himself. A superb accompaniment to a superb release. --Matthew Westphal
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