Hi there,
What are your favourite recordings? I find Harnoncourt's 2001 recording (Teldec) very recommandable. Are there any "musthaves" on the market (musically and also reg. recording quality)?

Thank you.

Reto

Reto,

please tell us more about the Harnoncourt.

I'm still looking for an Matthew Passion that meets my expectations but I'm sure it's one of those works that can never have an ideal performance. I have four recordings, likely to become five soon as the recent Parrott 'one-to-a-part' rendition sounded very intriguing when it was reviewed on (BBC) Radio 3 this weekend. Has anyone out there heard this in it's entirety?

Both the Gardiner and the more recent Herreweghe are fine performances. The latter has some great soloists, the former also has these plus the superb Monteverdi choir. However, neither quite storm the heavens for me. I can't put a finger on it but both leave me feeling the music has quite a lot more to offer. I also have the Richter, but sadly find it practically unlistenable. Many people feel this is the definitive version, but having been brought up post-"authentic" Bach, it seems a real period piece and definitely not on period instruments.

My other recording is an obscure Japanese edition that I cannot be remotely objective about as my wife sings on it!

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com

The latest Harnoncourt is very good, as is the newly released McCreesh version on DG. It is fast and uses very small forces, with individual singers taking the usual choral parts, very effectively. At the other end of the scale is Klemperer's classic recording, which I love, but if you don't like Richter (which I also like), you certainly won't be able to tolerate. Herreweghe is probably my favourite current version.

Ross

I don't have the quite the same depth of experience as some of the above, with only 3 recordings, but the Harnoncourt has a real feeling of an event which gives it my top recommendation. Intrigued by this new Parrott recording though - hopefully it will be as good as his Mass in B minor.

I wrote something about it here:

http://www.groovehandle.org/showthread.php3?s=c589949180643ef55870808a85914009&postid=14097#post14097


Regards,

R d S

While I cannot offer a comparative analysis like RdS or the others, I must say that I enjoy both versions I have heard, and those are the classic Klemperer recording on EMI and the more recent Harnoncourt on Teldec. Of the two, I prefer the Harnoncourt. I find it more compelling, and the modern sound adds to the impact, particularly during the portions where both choruses sing. I may consider the Herreweghe version.

Good Morning,

Does anybody know the label of Parrot's recording? Has it already been released?

Reto

Hello,

does someone already listened to the Passion directed by Gustav Leonhardt? It is simply amazing, and is a "must have"!!!. After having listened to this record, you have to listen to another type of music than classical music, since no classical music can be appreciated immediately after having heard this recording.

I have also heard good reviews of the last version recorder by Herreweghe, but I never heard it so far.

Bye,

V.

You're all too polite to have pointed out my mistake. The 'one-to-a part' Passion is conducted by Paul McReesh with the Gabrieli Consort on Archiv. Andrew Parrott has evangelised for this style of performance and conducted it live in this fashion but has not yet recorded it to my knowledge. There is an concert review of McReesh here: http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Articles/SMP-Golomb.htm

I was going to buy the McCreesh but ended up with the Maasaki Suzuki version instead (don't ask). Obviously I haven't had time live with this but first impressions are very promising. Suzuki takes things a little slower with a little less drama than Gardiner. There is more of a sense of meditation in the interpretation. A more distant (and very good) recording helps this.

This site has some interesting things to say about the differences between these and other versions: http://homepages.kdsi.net/~sherman/StMatthew.htm

I will certainly get the McReesh at some stage soon and then there's the Harnoncourt and perhaps the Ton Koopman...

duncan

Email: djcritchley at hotmail.com

[This message was edited by djc on MONDAY 28 April 2003 at 13:27.]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Varguas:
Hello,

does someone already listened to the Passion directed by Gustav Leonhardt? It is simply amazing, and is a "must have"!!!. After having listened to this record, you have to listen to another type of music than classical music, since no classical music can be appreciated immediately after having heard this recording.

I have also heard good reviews of the last version recorder by Herreweghe, but I never heard it so far.

Bye,

V.

---

Hi Varguas.

I know it quite well - I have it. Nevertheless I could never listen to it in its entirety. There are at least three factors against that.

Fisrt, Leohnardt's tempi are rather slow but also rather metronomical. Second, I cannot stand the voice of René Jacobs. He has a different technique from all other altos - if I'm not mistaken all the range is falsetto - and the results are, to my ears, horrible. He is too mannered, too (he recognizes it, today).

Lastly, Pregardien is not at his best. He is at his best when you can SEE him sing: all the drama and passion are evident. Less so if you only listen and do not have his face to convey all the emotions.

As a whole, I think Leonhardt's version lacks unity (I mean structural unity - the linking of the various movements into a coherent whole) and also true passion.

Please note I have nothing against Leonhardt: I listened to a harpsichord recital a month ago and he still is fabulous live and as a soloist.

I don't think Leonhardt actually conducts the ensemble: he lets them play and sing within a given tempo and general view. That might perhaps explain the great variety of singing styles of his guests.

All that said, his Matthäuspassion has sublime moments.


Regards,

R d S

Oops, Varguas.

Hi R. d S.,

maybe this record is not perfect, and maybe it does not correspond exactly to your tastes, but, it does match mine, and I still consider it as one of my favorite recordings.

Technically speaking, the tempi are voluntarily slow, and I like that. Combined with silences, they give (to my opinion) the Passion another dimension.

Most certainly, some artists were not at the best when recording this Passion, but I like the final result, so it is fine by me.

More generally, a lot of friends of mine generally reproach Leonhardt for being too strict, too metronomical, and lacking passion. They usually prefer Harnoncourt to Leonhardt. I never completely agreed on that point. But, this is only a matter of taste and sensibility I think...

Please notice that I am not a complete "pro-Leonhardt". I really do love him when playing harpsichord and I completely agree with you when you say that he is a wonderfull soloist, but I do think as well that some of his recordings are not good. For instance, his two recordings of the Goldberg Variations are way from being excellent (to my opinion). I really prefer them recorded by Celine Frisch.

Bye,

V.

Varguas:

I agree with the gist of your last post - it might come down to individual taste.

And I also agree with you that the Goldbergs not being Leonhardt's best record, though I like the second version. But then Leonhardt is usually more interesting live: he is too cautious in the studio (something he himself acknowledged).

Have you listened to his organ playing? It is quite otherwordly, incredible, really. You might try the St. Jacobi Arp Schnitger organ one (Sony).


Regards,

R d S

Hi R. d S.,

I thank you for the tip. I will try to get the St. Jacobi Arp Schnitger record.

Actually, I do not know this one, but I do have some organ records he made. Unfortunately, I did not really listened to them so far, since my speakers' bass response is not good enough to allow me to really appreciate them as much as I should... I need to change them (I plan to do so next year)...

I saw Gustav Leonhardt ~1.5 years ago giving an organ concert in Lyon (France), but the weather conditions were so terrible that I did not really enjoyed the concert (and I am quite sure that Gustav did not enjoy playing neither). It was very cold outside for several days (-10°C) and the heating system of the cathedral was broken... Therefore, I was too cold to appreciate the music, and I just attend til the end of the recital only to respect Gustav Leonhardt, who had to play in those difficult conditions.

Regards,

V.