The most important musical setting of the Nativity before Johann Sebastian Bach

Ehmann and the Westfalische Kantorei were among the pioneers in the field of historically informed performance practice. In particular, they brought the work of Heinrich Schutz back into public awareness.

Christmas Music Festival (In Nativitate Domini)

SCH¸TZ: PSALMS OF DAVID MARLO

This CD features madrigals based on texts by G. Battista Guarini.
Includes madrigal(s) by various composers. Ensemble: Cantus Cölln. Conductor: Konrad Junghänel. Soloist: Konrad Junghänel.

SCH¸TZ: SYMPHONIAE SACREA III

Schutz, H.: Psalms of David - Swv 23, 24, 25, 28, 29, 31, 34

he Heavens Are Telling The Glory Of God

Kreuzchorvespern: Geistliche Musik Zu Passion Und Ostern

This recording features Dolby Surround Sound.

Heinrich Schutz continued to set himself challenges throughout his long career. Of all the genres of sacred music that he undertook, the oratorio offers us his most contrasting ideas. His Historia der Geburt Jesu Christi (1664) is in many respects the model for the genre that would later be employed by the musicians of Johann Sebastian Bach's generation; the score that Vox Luminis use for this recording has been reconstructed from manuscript sources in the Duben Collection in Uppsala. The album is completed with a number of particularly festive motets for the Christmas period by Heinrich Schutz and his illustrious contemporary Andreas Hammerschmidt.

SCHÜTZ Lukas-Passion. Weihnachtshistorie. Auferstehungshistorie. Die 7 Worte. Johannes-Passion. Matthäus-Passion • Else Torp (sop); Adam Riis, Johann Linderoth, Julian Podger (ten); Jakob Bloch Jespersen (bs); Paul Hillier, cond; Ars Nova Copenhagen • DACAPO 8.204035 (4 CDs: 244:35)


As all four of the discs in this set have been reviewed in these pages before, this notice accordingly provides only a brief summary. J. F. Weber discussed the Lukas-Passion in Fanfare 33:2, the Weihnachtshistorie and Auferstehungshistorie (the Nativity and Resurrection narratives) in 33:5, and the Matthäus-Passion in 35:1, while Ronald E. Grames and I both covered Die sieben Worte and the Johannes-Passion in 34:2. In all instances the reviews were enthusiastic and offered unqualified endorsements of these performances as the recordings of choice for these works; now having the opportunity to hear them all, I heartily re-affirm that collective judgment. Whereas too often the passion settings of Heinrich Schütz, dominated by long passages of unadorned solo recitative, seem relatively dry and come off as the least interesting items in his oeuvre , Hillier and his forces bring them to life with arresting intensity, with the occasional choral passages for the turba having a luminous richness I have never heard in other versions. Jakob Bloch Jespersen is the exemplary reciter of the role of Jesus in each of the three passions, as well as the Herod in the Weihnachtshistorie . For the roles of the evangelists in the passion narratives, Hillier deliberately chose a different tenor to portray each one—Johan Linderoth as Luke, Adam Riis as John, and Julian Podger as Matthew—while Riis is also the Evangelist for the Weihnachtshistorie and Linderoth for the Auferstehungshistorie . All three are likewise able singers, and Else Torp effectively rounds out the list of major soloists as the Angel in the Weihnachtshistorie . Torp, Jespersen, and various ensemble singers assume comprimario roles in the various works; the three passions are sung a cappella , whereas the other three compositions feature supporting instrumentalists of the Concerto Copenhagen and the Sirius Viols, who for their part turn in first-rate playing. Whereas the original CDs sold for full price at about $18 each, this four-disc set retails for only about $28; that is competitive in price and superior in quality to the Brilliant Classics set led by Matteo Messori, which appears to be out of print in any case. The one disadvantage incurred for this discounted price is that the vocal texts must be downloaded from Dacapo’s website, though the enclosed booklet still retains full program notes and detailed specifications for each performance. This set is an essential acquisition for anyone interested in sacred music and the early Baroque; urgently recommended.


FANFARE: James A. Altena

Here the listener witnesses a rare musical experience. The twenty-three singers of the Saxon Vocal Ensemble which was founded in 1996 present an outstanding performance conducted by Matthias Jung. In short: an exemplary recording." (klassik heute) "... Twenty mixed voices are accompanied here only by an organ. No less an authority than Wilhelm Steuder writes in the notes that singing these works with or without instruments are both legitimate approaches. The Psalm of David mention no instruments in the score, although they are often used. The singers, based in Dresden, are flexible and responsive, producing exquisite tonal quality. This is certainly a worthy choice for a collector who wants a disc drawn from two of Schutz's most important books without going on to buy the complete sets that are readily available." (Fanfare)

Classical Music

Schütz: Weihnachtshistorie (Christmas Story), SWV 435