Bach: Arias and Choruses from the St. Matthew Passion

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com essential recording
John Eliot Gardiner's reading of the Matthew Passion is conceived and executed on the highest level, an example of period practice that is unlikely to be bettered any time soon. The performance as a whole vibrates with life: soloists are first-rate, and wonderfully well chosen for their respective parts, and the work of chorus and orchestra is exemplary. The recording, made in 1988 in the spacious ambience of Snape Maltings (England), is well balanced and exceptionally vivid. --Ted Libbey --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Tracks:

St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 1. Chorus : Kommt, ihr Tochter, helft mir klagen - Chorale : O Lamm Gottes, unschuldig
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 3. Chorale : Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 6. Aria (alto) : Buss und Reu
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 8. Aria (soprano) : Blute nur, du liebes Herz
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 17. Chorale : Ich will hier bei dir stehen
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 20. Aria (Tenore) : Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen - Chorus : So schlafen unsre Sunden ein
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 22. Recitative (Basso): Der heiland fallt vor seinim Vater nieder
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 23. Aria (Basso): Gerne will ich mich bequemen
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 1 : 25. Chorale : Was mein Gott will, das g'scheh allzeit
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 39. Aria (Alto) : Erbarme dich, mein Gott
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 42. Aria (Basso) : Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 46. Chorale : Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese Strafe
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 52. Aria (Alto) : Konnen Tranen meiner Wangen
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 65. Aria (Basso) : Mache dich, mein Herze, rein
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 67. Recitativo (Soprano, Alto, Tenore, Basso) : Nun ist der Herr zur Ruh gebracht - Chorus : Mein Jesu, gute Nacht
St. Matthew Passion, BWV 244 - Arias And Choruses: Part 2 : 68. Chorus : Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder

Amazon.com essential recording

John Eliot Gardiner's reading of the Matthew Passion is conceived and executed on the highest level, an example of period practice that is unlikely to be bettered any time soon. The performance as a whole vibrates with life: soloists are first-rate, and wonderfully well chosen for their respective parts, and the work of chorus and orchestra is exemplary. The recording, made in 1988 in the spacious ambience of Snape Maltings (England), is well balanced and exceptionally vivid. --Ted Libbey

Customer Reviews:

i stand corrected.......2007-06-28

i heard a performnce of the st matthew passion when i was 17 that steered me so far away from enjoying bach that i thought i was a lost cause. in the course of my undergraduate studies i performed and listened to various compositions by bach and finally became addicted to the monteverdi choir and all of their recordings. i still remained steadfastly against matthew, despite being told that i was crazy to not think it was simply one of the greatest pieces ever written. as a result of my love for gardiner and his choir; as well as the fact that i was singing the alto solos in my studies, i purchased this cd. wow. not only is the recording superb and the choir brilliant but the sheer genius behind the piece is unbelievable. the first six measures take the listener to a place that is not of this world. The countertenor sings so clearly and beautifully it doesn't sound human. i recommend this recording to anyone who loves bach and appreciates great choral music, but also to those who need a good place to start.

a voice teacher and early music fan.......2007-06-24

After hearing this recording, I was very happy that I chose to get the Cleobury rendition of 1994(also a DVD) mostly because of the soloists Gardiner chose to use. This must have been early in von Otter's career because her renditions were quite unemotional and dull. Fortunately Gardiner did use Michael Chance for the beautiful and very intense 'Erbarme dich, Mein Gott' for he sings it with great emotional investment as he does in the Cleobury recording. Even the Herreweghe disc has much better soloists; such as Ian Bostridge and Andreas Scholl.
BUT the Gardiner chorus is truly great!!It sings with much spirit; his tempos are very upbeat, but unfortunately one does not hear enough of the chorus on this recording, which is only highlights.
I actually bought it to compare Chance's 1988 rendition of "Erbarme" to the 1994 Cleobury disc; sounds the same; just as intense and as perfectly implemented.

actually pretty good.......2006-05-23

I am not fond of Gardiner in most of his Bach recordings, too rhythmical, fast and played with technical brilliance rather than with heart or spirit.

I however like his Christmas Oratorio, Johannes Passion and (strangely enough also) his Mattheus Passion very much.

Yes you have that peculiar loud and clipped singing now and then, but only at places where it's appropriate.
I find it refreshing too as an alternative to Herreweghes more consistent (and intimate) view.
With Gardiner there are more dramatic, theatrical mood swings and I don't find them cheap...I think Gardiner really shows some genuine spirit and involvement here.
The orchestral sound is a lot warmer sounding than most of his more recent Bach recordings and his rather disappointing Mass in B recording.

Some tempi are too brisk, true, but who needs only similar performed recordings in his library?

It took me a while to appreciate Gardiner's Mattheus and now I think it is one of the best recordings, next with Herreweghe I (still my favorite), Herreweghe II, Brueggen and Veldhoven. (Harnoncourt's Mattheus has some beautifull passages too - Bernarda Fink especially is excellent)

don't be disappointed.......2005-07-18

Only when you do not buy this version of the Mattheus Passion will you be disappointed. The very fact that this is the best recording of the Passion I know drove to write a review.

The Mattheus Passion is probably the most often performed large orchestral work in the Netherlands. Every year around Eastern concert halls great and small perform version in quality great and small. One of the best known performances is the one in Concertgebouw. This version recorded version can fill the gap for the rest of the year.

What surprises me, listing to the Passion for about 6 years now, is how over time the chills down my spine increase during this quite long work. Nearly all of the major choral parts give me a sensation as only music can give you; something like a cold shiver at the base of my skull (back-side).

If you are ready for such auditive mind altering experiences: get this version of the work and close the curtains, disable all communication devices (mobile, fixed telephone, PDA etc.) and take 3 hours off (take off for 3 hours).

Among the top 4.......2005-03-31

The Matthauspassion of J.S. Bach is among the world's greatest masterpieces of music, and Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir is one of the most professional choirs singing today, so right there we're starting off with an advantage.

The great opening Chorus for double-chorus and a children's choir of trebles is a masterpiece within a masterpiece. (Gardiner uses a children's chorus containing girls, an unusual choice.)

However, there are problems.

Gardiner seems more concerned with the choral parts --sticking to the strengths of his ensemble-- than the solo movements. The choruses, chorales and turbae (the short choral statements where the chorus speaks for the crowd, e.g. "crucify him!") are done well and with energy, smoothness, ensemble, and beautiful chording. But Gardiner seems to hurry through the solos to get to the choruses.

In my humble opinion, the Passion has both a dramatic character as well as a reflective character. When you hear it for the first time, it's the drama that grabs you. On subsequent hearings (esp. if you subscribe to the religious and spiritual beliefs presented in this work) it is the reflection that appeals to one, certainly to me. And at the time of this recording, Gardiner seems not to have been sympathetic to the reflective character of the work. If you're preoccupied with "Let's not get sentimental about this," this is what you'd produce. May I be forgiven for imagining that this is British Stiff Upper-Lip taken a little too far?

The tempi are a tad too fast in general.

However, look on the bright side:

Gardiner emphasizes the drama beautifully. This is a good choice for young people exploring Bach for the first time.

The soloists are excellent, especially Cornelius Hauptmann, who does a wonderful job of "Mache Dich mein Herze rein," --make Thou my heart pure. In spite of Gardiner's hurrying, Hauptmann sings a tender, heartfelt aria that is a highpoint of the work.

Other beautiful moments are
1. the contralto aria "Buss und Reu," where Bach's representation of teardrops are performed beautifully,

2. the solo+chorus number Ïch will bei meinem Jesu wachen. (Count the number of entries of the choral interjection, whose translation is roughly "So rest my cares . . ." there should be exactly 11, one for each remaining disciple.)

3. the chorale, O Mensch, bewein dein Sundre gross. Unforgettable;

4. the last piece, a lullaby and a dirge for the dead Jesus.

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