this version is shiveringly beautiful. all my admiration for these people. especially when this conductor doesn't even put his name on the record cover... for the first time with a hip version, i felt everyone was essential, everyone had their word to say in the concert of polyphony, everything was breathing and moving like a living being. much like tafelmusik on the brandenburgs, it's the most human version i've listened to.
"The enormous wealth of genres and structures is dazzling for the listener: timeless polyphony, fugues, cantus-firmus techniques, polychoral work, vocal and instrumental concerti, concerti for groups of instruments, concerti grossi, ostinati, solo arias and duets, in scorings from three to seven voices and in remarkably varied combinations—and choruses ranging from four to eight parts."
"But at the same time, the Hohe Messe is a large-scale score: Bach, in his last completed work, demanded every possible performing force available to him. For example, in this unique and incomparable score, he used nearly every imaginable combination of voices and virtually the entire spectrum of instrumentation of his day."
Text from the cd-inlay by the conductor Jos van Veldhoven:
"From the moment that a decision was made to record Bachs Mass in b minor, it was clear to me that the scoring would have to be small-scale. We had come to know a new kind of collaboration between instrumentalists and singers, which gave us an ideal foundation for the interpretation of Bachs music and led to deeply expressive performances. Together, we discovered a new definition for the word choir. "
It is impossible to say if Bach would have preferred greater numbers; the oft-cited 1730 memorandum to the Leipzig Town Council was not written as a musical treatise--just a way to get a few more singers in case of illness. Furthermore, small "consorts" of singers are depicted in enough iconography that we can safely say these kinds of forces were commonly used in many German churches and courts of the time. It's highly unlikely that ALL those Kapellmeisters were frustrated with what they had.
I cannot follow this conductor's reasoning as to why he uses a small choir, when today, we have much more available to us; that you have to use a rather small ensemble as did Bach doesn't make sense. Bach was continually frustrated with what he had, since he would have loved to have what we have today; had that been the case, he would have had larger groups, but he could not, whereas there's no reason to do so in this day and age.
this version is shiveringly beautiful. all my admiration for these people. especially when this conductor doesn't even put his name on the record cover... for the first time with a hip version, i felt everyone was essential, everyone had their word to say in the concert of polyphony, everything was breathing and moving like a living being. much like tafelmusik on the brandenburgs, it's the most human version i've listened to.
iekamede 1 year ago
the making oF
firebreathone3 1 year ago
the article continues:
"The enormous wealth of genres and structures is dazzling for the listener: timeless polyphony, fugues, cantus-firmus techniques, polychoral work, vocal and instrumental concerti, concerti for groups of instruments, concerti grossi, ostinati, solo arias and duets, in scorings from three to seven voices and in remarkably varied combinations—and choruses ranging from four to eight parts."
Koningslaan 2 years ago
the article continues:
"But at the same time, the Hohe Messe is a large-scale score: Bach, in his last completed work, demanded every possible performing force available to him. For example, in this unique and incomparable score, he used nearly every imaginable combination of voices and virtually the entire spectrum of instrumentation of his day."
Koningslaan 2 years ago
Text from the cd-inlay by the conductor Jos van Veldhoven:
"From the moment that a decision was made to record Bachs Mass in b minor, it was clear to me that the scoring would have to be small-scale. We had come to know a new kind of collaboration between instrumentalists and singers, which gave us an ideal foundation for the interpretation of Bachs music and led to deeply expressive performances. Together, we discovered a new definition for the word choir. "
Koningslaan 2 years ago
It is impossible to say if Bach would have preferred greater numbers; the oft-cited 1730 memorandum to the Leipzig Town Council was not written as a musical treatise--just a way to get a few more singers in case of illness. Furthermore, small "consorts" of singers are depicted in enough iconography that we can safely say these kinds of forces were commonly used in many German churches and courts of the time. It's highly unlikely that ALL those Kapellmeisters were frustrated with what they had.
brokebassoon 2 years ago
I cannot follow this conductor's reasoning as to why he uses a small choir, when today, we have much more available to us; that you have to use a rather small ensemble as did Bach doesn't make sense. Bach was continually frustrated with what he had, since he would have loved to have what we have today; had that been the case, he would have had larger groups, but he could not, whereas there's no reason to do so in this day and age.
TheJamesalden 2 years ago
Ich hab mir die CD gekauft. Ich kann nur sagen:
Die Einspielung is für mich derzeit eine der schönsten auf dem Markt.
Einfach himmlisch.
ClemensZwei 3 years ago
Would be great if we could have the rest of this here, too!
jlaurson 4 years ago