 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750) CHRISTMAS ORATORIO/WEIHNACHTS-ORATORIUM BWV248 ORATORIUM TEMPORE NATIVITATUS CHRISTI (LEIPZIG ANNO 1734) JULIAN J.WACHNER, CONDUCTOR PETER WATCHORN, ORGAN & ARTISTIC DIRECTION ANNE HARLEY (SOPRANO) ELIZABETH ANKER (CONTRALTO) ROBERT PITCHER (EVANGELIST) THOMAS GREGG (TENOR) MAX VAN EGMOND (BASS) THE BOSTON BACH ENSEMBLE THE MARSH CHAPEL CHOIR RECORDED: NOVEMBER 19 - 21, 1998, MARSH CHAPEL, BOSTON UNIVERSITY ENGINEERS: JOEL GORDON, MATTHEW PACKWOOD PRODUCTION: PETER WATCHORN, JULIAN WACHNER EDITING: JOEL GORDON, MATTHEW PACKWOOD, PETER WATCHORN The finest version yet recorded in the USA, using period instruments and featuring some of the leading vocal and instrumental specialists working today. Also the only recording to feature legendary Dutch bass, Max van Egmond, in a memorably great performance. Minimally edited from three concerts, it retains all the excitement of the genuine live experience. Bach's Christmas Oratorio (Oratorium Temporem Nativitatus Christi), a cycle of cantatas unified by the Christmas story, and like the St. Matthew and St. John Passions, narrated by an Evangelist, was first performed over six days (the first three days of Christmas, New Year's Day, Sunday after New Year and the Feast of the Epiphany) in 1734/5. The performances were divided between Leipzig's two main churches for whose music Bach was responsible, St. Thomas's and St. Nicholas's. Due to the rotation of performances between the two churches, only St. Nicholas's actually heard the work in its entirety. The author of the text, though not positively identified, was in all likelihood Christian Friedrich Henrici (1700-64), a prominent official and man-of-letters in Leipzig, who adopted the nom-de-plume Picander. A well-known and widely published poet, Picander produced many of Bach's libretti during the Leipzig period, both sacred and secular, including those for the Peasant and Coffee cantatas (BWV 212 and 211) and the St. Matthew Passion (BWV 244). This recording was made in Marsh Chapel at Boston University over three days in November 1998, as part of a highly successful Bach Festival, involving concerts, lectures and symposia, which focused on many aspects Bach's church music. The climax of the festival was this sequence of performances of the Christmas Oratorio, which set a new standard for Bach performance in Boston, and which was expertly recorded by producer/engineer Joel Gordon, who took full advantage of the spacious ambience of the chapel, and managed to achieve an ideal combination of resonance and clarity. The performance by the Boston Bach Ensemble, which features a choir of twenty young voices and an orchestra made up of America's leading period instrument specialists, retains all the flavour of the live concerts from which it was taken, and is minimally edited. It was directed by long-time colleagues, Julian Wachner (conductor) and Peter Watchorn (organ/artistic advisor), who had already achieved fine standards in their many earlier collaborations. Among the fine cast of soloists are soprano Anne Harley, alto Elizabeth Anker and tenors Robert Pitcher (Evangelist) and Thomas Gregg (arias). Another factor that makes this recording so special is the presence of Max van Egmond, bass, whose performances of Bach's vocal music have set the standards in Europe since the mid 1960's, when he began his long collaboration with Gustav Leonhardt and Nikolaus Harnoncourt. This version with the BBE is Mr. van Egmond's only available recording of this work, and he is up to his usual high standard in this unforgettable and joyous performance. Also featured is bassoonist James O. Bolyard, whose recent untimely death robbed the Early Music world of one of its leading lights. From the reviews: "Hearing them ... felt a little like turning a corner and being nearly lifted off one's feet by a gust of clean, cool, mind-invigorating fresh air." --The Boston Globe An American masterpiece, October 15, 2000 Reviewer: Chris McArdle (Lincoln, NE USA) Richard Dyer of the Boston Globe wrote this of the 1998 performance of Bach's Christmas Oratorio (which led to this, the first ever American recording of the work): "Throughout, Wachner led a lovingly detailed, completely unpedantic, historically informed performance, devoid of the early music ticks that can intrude." Select this 2-CD set and you too can experience the wonder and joy of Bach at Christmas time. The rich choral sound of the Boston Bach Ensemble is well supported by Boston University's Marsh Chapel Choir, and a period-instrument ensemble that will leave you breathless. Julian Wachner, orchestrator of this three-ring performance, skillfully blends the three ensembles together into a cohesive whole that sets a new standard for many years to come. --Amazon.com Check out the artist's website: http://www.musicaomnia.org Track List: 1. Chorus: Jauchzet, frohlocket! 2. Recit: Es begab sich aber 3. Recit: Nun wird mein liebster Brautigam 4. Aria: Bereite dich, Zion 5. Chorale: Wie soll ich dich empfangen 6. Recit: Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn 7. Recit/Chorale: Er ist auf Erden kommen 8. Aria: Grosser Herr, O starker Konig 9. Chorale: Ach, mein herzliebes Jesulein! 10. Sinfonia 11. Recit: Und es waren Hirten 12. Chorale: Brich an, o schones Morgenlicht 13. Recit: Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen 14. Recit: Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen 15. Aria: Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet! 16. Recit: Und das habt zum Zeichen: 17. Chorale: Schaut hin! dort liegt im finstern Stall 18. Recit: So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht 19. Aria: Schlafe, mein Liebster 20. Recit: Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel 21. Chorus: Ehre sei Gott in der Hohe 22. Recit: So recht, ihr Engel 23. Chorale: Wir singen dir in deinem Heer 24. Chorus: Herrscher des Himmels 25. Recit: Und da die Engel von ihnen 26. Chorus: Lasset uns nun gehen 27. Recit: Er hat sein Volk getrost' 28. Chorale: Dies hat er alles uns getan 29. Duet: Herr, dein Mitleid 30. Recit: Und sie kamen eiland 31. Aria: Schliesse, mein Herze 32. Recit: Ja, ja! mein Herz soll es bewahren 33. Chorale: Ich will dich mit Fleiss bewahren 34. Recit: Und die Hirten kehrten 35. Choral: Seid froh, dieweil, dass eurer Heil - chorus da capo no. 36. No. 24 Chorus: Herrscher des Himmels da capo no. 24 37. Chorus: Fallt mit Danken 38. Recit: Und da acht Tage um waren 39. Recit: Immanuel, O susses Wort 40. Aria: Flosst, mein Heiland 41. Recit: Wohlan, dein Name soll allein 42. Aria: Ich will nur dir zu Ehren Leben 43. Chorale: Jesus richte mein Beginnen 44. Chorus: Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen 45. Recit: Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem 46. Chor: Wo ist der neugeborne Konig der Juden? 47. Chorale: Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt 48. Aria: Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen 49. Recit: Da das der Konig Herodes horte 50. Recit: Warum wollt ihr erschrecken? 51. Recit: Und liess versammlen alle Hohepriester 52. Aria Terzetto: Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen 53. Recit: Mein Liebster herrschet schon 54. Chorale: Zwar ist solche Herzensstube 55. Chorus: Herr, wenn die stolze Feinde schnauben 56. Recit: Da berief Herodes die Weisen 57. Recit: Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fallen 58. Aria: Nur ein Wink von seinen Handen 59. Recit: Als sie nun den Konig gehoren hatten 60. Chorale: Ich steh an deiner Kripper hier 61. Recit: Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum 62. Recit: So geht! Genug 63. Aria: Nun mogt ihr stolzen Feinde 64. Recit a 4: was will der Hollen Schrecken nun 65. Chorale: Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen Suggested CDs:
|