Bach: St. John Passion; Mass in B Minor; Easter Oratorio; Ascension Oratorio

Bach: St. John Passion; Mass in B Minor; Easter Oratorio; Ascension Oratorio | Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Parrott, ... | Absolutely Bach

classical music:

Bach: St. John Pas...

	Bach: St. John Passion; Mass in B Minor; Easter Oratorio; Ascension Oratorio Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Parrott, ... EMI Classics, 2002 average customer review:based on 4 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

One-voice-per-part in all its glory

Pick up this set. When I saw the ... price on these gems, I immediately ordered it. Andrew Parrott is a wonderful conductor who subscribes to the theory that Bach intended his choral music to be sung with one voice on a part. Quite a contrast to many recordings out there with 50+ on a part. Along with everyone else, I was a bit leery of this approach but wait until you hear these results! His performance of the mass is absolutely breathtaking! Rifkin recorded the mass OVPP but some of the soloists were a bit weak, especially compared to Parrott's soloists. I picked up this one and the Herreweghe recording of the mass (considered to be the best in many circles) around the same time and I found myself continually coming back to this one. The clarity of the vocal lines is wonderful. Some of the fugal lines get lost in Herreweghe's approach but not in Parrott's recording. You can follow each wonderful line from beginning to end. Parrott's soloists have a very clear, non-"operatic", beautiful sound that tunes so well (rare in OVPP works in my opinion). This is what makes the choral sections work so well--lack of excessive vibrato that makes Bach's musical lines unfold beautifully. The solo sections are just as impressive. The only beef I have with the recording is Parrott's use of a boy alto. An admirable job in most respects but he just can't quite match the maturity of the other voices.
The St. John's Passion is almost as remarkable. The choral singing is delightful and the soloists are again excellent. When you get these two landmark recordings plus The Easter and Ascension Oratorios to boot, the price is mind-boggling. I would pay this price for the mass alone. Highest recommendation.

for more information click here

Absolutely Bach

Went looking for the Mass only, but got the whole box set at roughly the same price. Sure I'm not complaining.

If you like Rifkin's earlier and almost equally exciting version, this is your thing! Apparently Bach would endorse the use of boy alto for the performance. On the whole the performance was more rugged, and therefore more real than ever. The tempi are subtle and the instruments sound lean yet powerful. A mustbuy.

Wonderful Bach

I must agree with the other reviewer that this is a great collection. However, I like the presence of the boy alto in the Mass. Bach composed most of his religious works for a boys choir but you wouldn't guess it from looking at most recordings. To the best of my knowledge this Mass is the only recording out there that is both OVPP and includes a boy soloist. It works for me.

for more information click here

Professional Bach recording - minimal setting, full sound

When I purchased this 5-disc set by Andrew Parrot, I had failed to notice that this recording is at the minimum-setting of Bach recordings. No choir, but one individual voice per vocal part. Now normally, I like a nice big full choir sound, so before listening I had some doubts as to this recording would appeal to me.
Well, I must say, now that I've listened to it a couple of times, it's really a wonderfully pure effect, and I really DO like it. The sound isn't bleak at all, and at times the four interacting voices do sound like a small choir. I really do not know what Bach's original intentions were, but this recording is really a joy to listen to, and that's what counts most for me.

for more information click here

Tracks
Part 1. No. 1. Herr, unser Herrscher | Part 1. No. 2a. Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern / No. 2b. Jesum von Nazareth / No. 2c Jesus spricht | Part 1. No. 3. Choral. O große Lieb | Part 1. No. 4. Auf dass das Wort erfüllet würde | Part 1. No. 5. Choral. Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich | Part 1. No. 6. Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann | Part 1. No. 7. Aria. Von den Stricken meiner Sünden | Part 1. No. 8. Simon Petrus aber folgte Jesum nach | Part 1. No. 9. Aria. Ich folge dir gleichfalls | Part 1. No. 10. Derselbige Jünger war dem Hohenpriester bekannt | Part 1. No. 11. Choral. Wer hat dich so geschlagen | Part 1. No. 12a. Und Hannas sandte ihn gebunden / No. 12b. Bist du nicht seiner Jünger einer? / No. | Part 1. No. 13 Aria. Ach, mein Sinn | Part 1. No. 14. Choral. Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück | Part 2. No. 15. Choral. Christus, der uns selig macht | Part 2. No. 16a. Da führeten sie Jesum / No. 16b. Wäre dieser nicht ein Übeltäter / No. 16c. Da spr | Part 2. No. 17. Choral. Ach, großer König | Part 2. No. 18a. Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm / No. 18b. Nicht diesen, sondern Barrabam / No. 18c. Barr | Part 2. No. 19. Arioso. Betrachte, meine Seel | Part 2. No. 20. Aria. Jesu, ach! | Part 2. No. 21a. Und die Kriegsknechte flochten / No. 21b. Sei gegrüßet, lieber Judenkönig! / No. | Part 2. No. 22. Choral. Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn | Part 2. No. 23a. Die Juden aber schrien / No. 23b. Lässest du diesen los / No. 23c. Da Pilatus das | Part 2. No. 24. Aria - Choral. Eilt, ihr angefocht'nen Seelen | Part 2. No. 25a. Allda kreuzigten sie ihn / No. 25b. Schreibe nicht: der Juden König / No. 25c. Pil | Part 2. No. 26. Choral. In meines Herzens Grunde | Part 2. No. 27a. Die Kriegsknechte aber / No. 27b. Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen / No. 27c. Auf da | Part 2. No. 28. Choral. Er nahm alles wohl in acht | Part 2. No. 30. Aria. Es ist vollbracht | Part 2. No. 31. Und neigte das Haupt und verschied | Part 2. No. 32. Aria - Choral. Mein teurer Heiland | Part 2. No. 33. Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss | Part 2. No. 34. Arioso. Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt | Part 2. No. 35. Aria. Zerfließe, mein Herze | Part 2. No. 36. Die Juden aber, dieweil es der Rüsttag war | Part 2. No. 37. Choral. O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn | Part 2. No. 38. Darnach bat Pilatum Joseph von Arimathia | Part 2. No. 40. Choral. Ach Herr, lass dein' leib' Engelein | Sinfonia | Adagio | Chorus. Kommt, eilet und laufet | Recitativo. O kalter Männer Sinn! | Aria. Seele, deine Spezereien | Recitativo. Hier ist die Gruft | Aria. Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer | Recitativo. Indessen seufzen wir | Aria. Saget, saget mir geschwinde | Recitativo. Wir sind erfreut | Chorus. Preis und Dank | Chorus. Lobet Gott in seinen Reichen | Recitativo. Der Herr Jesus hub seine Hände auf | Recitativo. Ach, Jesu, ist dein Abschied schon so nah? | Aria. Ach, bleibe doch, mein liebstes Leben | Recitativo. Und ward aufgehoben zusehens | Choral. Nun lieget alles unter dir | Recitativo. Und da sie ihm nachsahen / Ihr Männer von Galiläa / Ach ja! so komme bald zurück | Aria. Jesu, deine Gnadenblicke | Choral. Wenn soll es doch geschehen | Kyrie. Coro. Kyrie eleison | Kyrie. Duetto. Christe eleison | Kyrie. Coro. Kyrie eleison | Gloria. Coro. Gloria in excelsis Deo | Gloria. Coro. Et in terra pax | Gloria. Aria. Laudamus te | Gloria. Coro. Gratias agimus tibi | Gloria. Duetto. Domine Deus | Gloria. Coro. Qui tollis peccata mundi | Gloria. Aria. Qui sedes ad dextram Patris | Gloria. Aria. Quoniam tu solus Sanctus | Gloria. Coro. Cum Sancto Spirito | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Credo in unum Deum | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Patrem omnipotentem | Symbolum nicenum. Duetto. Et in unum Dominum | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Et incarnatus est | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Crucifixus | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Et resurrexit | Symbolum nicenum. Aria. Et in Spiritum Sanctum | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Confiteor | Symbolum nicenum. Coro. Et expecto | Coro. Sanctus | Coro. Osanna in excelsis | Aria. Benedictus | Coro. Osanna in excelsis | Aria. Agnus Dei | Coro. Dona nobis pacem

products you might be interested in