Bach: Lutheran Masses, Vol. 1

$15.99
Label
Coro
Release Date
September 30, 2013
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      BACH, J.S.
    • PERFORMER
      V1: Lutheran Masses
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      September 30, 2013
    • UPC
      828021611520
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      COR16115
    • LABEL
      Coro
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      1
    Works ⌄

    1. Kyrie (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    2. Gloria (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    3. Gratias (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Eamonn Dougan

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    4. Domine Fili (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Robin Blaze

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    5. Qui tollis - Quoniam (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Mark Dobell

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    6. Cum Sancto Spiritu (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    7. Part I: Herr, deine Augen sehen nach dem Glauben (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    8. Part I: Recitative: Wo ist das Ebenbild, das Gott uns eingepraget (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Ben Davies

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    9. Part I: Aria: Weh der Seele, die den Schaden nicht mehr kennt (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: William Purefoy

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    10. Part I: Arioso: Verachtest du den Reichtum seiner Gnade (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Ben Davies

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    11. Part II: Aria: Erschrecke doch, du allzu sichre Seele (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Jeremy Budd

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    12. Part II: Recitative: Beim Warten ist Gafahr (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: William Purefoy

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    13. Part II: Chorale: Heut lebst du, heut bekehre dich (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    14. Kyrie (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    15. Gloria (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    16. Domine Deus (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Ben Davies

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    17. Qui tollis (Soprano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Grace Davidson

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    18. Quonian (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Performer: Robin Blaze

      Conductor: Harry Christophers

    19. Cum Sancto Spiritu (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: The Sixteen Choir

      Conductor: Harry Christophers




BACH Masses, in g, BWV 235; in F, BWV 233. Cantata No. 102 • Harry Christophers, cond; The Sixteen Ch & O (period instruments) • CORO 16115 (74:07 Text and Translation)


It’s getting harder to lament the curious neglect of Bach’s short or “Lutheran” Masses. Within recent memory I’ve had the privilege of auditioning new sets by Ton Koopman, (Challenge), Konrad Junghänel (Harmonia Mundi), and Raphaël Pichon (Alpha). Philippe Herreweghe’s excellent set was reissued by Virgin, and Brilliant has even revived Hanns-Martin Schneidt’s 1974 version in its complete Bach Edition box. Helmuth Rilling on Hänssler is still around. Now comes the first installment of a new set by Harry Christophers. Nevertheless, the short Masses do get considerably less attention than the cantatas, which they resemble in every way except for the absence of recitatives and closing chorales. The cantatas, after all, tell stories; the Masses do not. In fact, most—probably all—of the music in the Masses is recycled from pre-existing cantatas.


In these performances Christophers has reduced The Sixteen by a half, to eight singers only: Grace Davidson and Julia Doyle, sopranos; Robin Blaze and William Purefoy, countertenors; Jeremy Budd and Mark Dobell, tenors; Ben Davies and Eamonn Dougan, basses. The voices are accompanied by a slightly larger instrumental ensemble: 3, 3, 2 (or 3), 2, and 1 of strings, plus the necessary winds and continuo. All of the singers take solo turns, except Doyle. The only soprano aria on the disc, in the F-Major Mass, went to Davidson.


One lesson we might take from this release is that Bach rocks, although we already knew that. The Kyrie of the G-Minor Mass, a real toe-tapper, gets the ball rolling, and Christophers takes it from there, injecting the choral movements, especially, with abundant energy. The double quartet is very effective throughout. I was a little less enthralled by some of the arias, but not enough to discourage me from giving the whole enterprise a thumbs up. Because the combined Masses run just over 52 minutes, Coro has generously added a Cantata, No. 102, between the Masses, a welcome bonus. I’m looking forward to Volume II.


FANFARE: George Chien