Bach: St. John Passion (The Koln Recording) / Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan

$30.99
Label
BIS
Release Date
September 4, 2020
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      BACH, J.S.
    • PERFORMER
      Bach Collegium Japan, Suzuki
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      September 04, 2020
    • UPC
      7318599925516
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      BIS-2551
    • LABEL
      BIS
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      2
    • GENRE
      Classical
    Works ⌄

    1. Part I: Herr, unser Herrscher (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    2. Part I: Recitative: Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngern - Jesum von Nazareth - Recitative: Jesus spricht zu ihnen - Jesum von Nazareth - Recitative: Jesus antwortete (Evangelist, Jesus, Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    3. Part I: Chorale: O große Lieb, o Lieb ohn' alle Maße (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    4. Part I: Recitative: Auf daß das Wort erfüllet würde - Stecke dein Schwert in die Scheide! (Evangelist, Jesus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    5. Part I: Chorale: Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    6. Part I: Recitative: Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann (Evangelist)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    7. Part I: Aria: Von den Stricken meiner Sünden (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Damien Guillon

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    8. Part I: Recitative: Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesu nach (Evangelist)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    9. Part I: Aria: Ich folge dir gleichfalls mit freudigen Schritten (Soprano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Hana Blažíková

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    10. Part I: Recitative: Derselbige Jünger war dem Hohenpriester bekannt (Evangelist, Ancilla, Petrus, Jesus, Servus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Aki Matsui, Chiyuki Urano, Christian Immler, Yosuke Taniguchi

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    11. Part I: Chorale: Wer hat dich so geschlagen (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    12. Part I: Recitative: Und Hannas sandte ihn gebunden - Bist du nicht seiner Jünger einer - Recitative: Er leugnete aber und sprach (Evangelist, Chorus, Petrus, Servus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Chiyuki Urano, Yosuke Taniguchi

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    13. Part I: Aria: Ach, mein Sinn (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Zachary Wilder

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    14. Part I: Chorale: Petrus, der nicht denkt zurück (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    15. Part II: Chorale: Christus, der uns selig macht (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    16. Part II: Recitative: Da führeten sie Jesum (Evangelist, Pilatus, Chorus, Jesus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Yusuke Watanabe, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    17. Part II: Chorale: Ach großer König, groß zu allen Zeiten (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    18. Part II: Recitative: Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm - Nicht diesen, sondern Barrabam - Recitative: Barrabas aber war ein Mörder (Evangelist, Pilatus, Jesus, Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Yusuke Watanabe, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    19. Part II: Arioso: Betrachte, meine Seel (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    20. Part II: Aria: Mein Jesu, ach! (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Zachary Wilder

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    21. Part II: Recitative: Und die Kriegsknechte flochten eine Krone von Dornen (Evangelist, Chorus, Pilatus, Jesus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Yusuke Watanabe, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    22. Part II: Chorale: Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    23. Part II: Recitative: Die Jüden aber schrieen und sprachen (Evangelist, Chorus, Pilatus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Yusuke Watanabe

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    24. Part II: Aria: Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen (Bass, Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    25. Part II: Recitative: Allda kreuzigten sie ihn - Schreibe nicht: der Jüden König - Recitative: Pilatus antwortet (Evangelist, Chorus, Pilatus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Yusuke Watanabe

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    26. Part II: Chorale: In meines Herzens Grunde (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    27. Part II: Recitative: Die Kriegsknechte aber - Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen - Recitative: Auf daß erfüllet würde die Schrift (Evangelist, Chorus, Jesus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    28. Part II: Chorale: Er nahm alles wohl in acht (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    29. Part II: Recitative: Und von Stund an nahm sie der Jünger zu sich (Evangelist, Jesus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist, Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    30. Part II: Aria: Es ist vollbracht (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Damien Guillon

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    31. Part II: Recitative: Und neiget das Haupt und verschied (Evangelist)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    32. Part II: Aria: Mein teurer Heiland, lass dich fragen (Bass, Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Christian Immler

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    33. Part II: Recitative: Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss (Evangelist)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    34. Part II: Arioso: Mein Herz, in dem die ganze Welt (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Zachary Wilder

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    35. Part II: Aria: Zerfließe, mein Herze (Soprano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: Hana Blažíková

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    36. Part II: Recitative: Die Jüden aber, dieweil es der Rüsttag war (Evangelist)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    37. Part II: Chorale: O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    38. Part II: Recitative: Darnach bat Pilatum Joseph von Arimathia (Evangelist)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    39. Part II: Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki

    40. Part II: Chorale: Ach Herr, laß dein lieb Engelein (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Bach Collegium Japan Chorus, Bach Collegium Japan

      Conductor: Masaaki Suzuki


On 6 of March 2020, Bach Collegium Japan began their long-awaited 30th anniversary tour of Europe with a performance of Bach's St John Passion in Katowice, Poland. The same week Europe was becoming aware of the very stark reality of the threat posed by the new Corona virus, Covid-19. Consequently, as Masaaki Suzuki and his ensemble went on to perform in Dublin and then London, concert halls across Europe were closing down and the remaining tour dates were cancelled. Before making their return to Japan, the BCJ agreed with the Kölner Philharmonie to go ahead with the concert that had been planned, in the form of a live streaming without an audience. This meant that the ensemble had time on their hands, and the idea was born to use it for making a recording.

Having received permission to use the hall of the Philharmonie for the recording, Bach Collegium Japan and BIS jointly decided to go ahead with the idea, and during a few hectic hours arrangements were made for a recording team to come to Cologne. Over the next few days, Suzuki, the BCJ and a team of soloists headed by James Gilchrist as the Evangelist, recorded Bach's rendering of the Passion of Christ, finishing just ahead of complete lockdown. Their efforts are now available as a testimony not only to the drama of Bach's score, but also to the urgency of a week when the world changed.

‘The spread of the virus created an urgency and energy that rendered this a very dramatic performance’, he continues. ‘The music itself has such incredible power of course, and in this situation, it was somehow doubled. Looking back, it was all like a miracle, and even now it seems like a dream. The tension of the whole experience, combined with the drama of the St John Passion, will stay in our minds forever.’ - Masaako Suzuki


REVIEWS:

Here we have a reading that feels as if, deep in the psyche of the performers, they know this is all happening close to the wire. Gilchrist is again on masterly form, risking pinpoint precision for graphic description in a way that makes the experience feel ‘live’ in every respect. Suzuki takes us as co-travellers in a search of faith, not necessarily assuming us all as believers.

 

– Gramophone (Awards Issue, 2020)



Despite the hurried nature of the production, engineering is top-notch, and even if the bass is more pronounced this time around, there is an ideal blend of analytical clarity and warmth, both on SACD and regular stereo. No single interpretation can capture every aspect of this monumental music. But Suzuki’s latest is his finest, and belongs in the library of anyone who loves this work – urgently recommended.

– Classical CD Review