Dietrich Henschel sings "Großer Herr, o starker König"

[5langostinos]

Wonderfull singing and playing!

[DonnaSilvia]

Molto, molto, bravo.

[tervito]

If his timbre weren't so close to Fischer-Diekau's, it would be easier to overlook the fact that he's barking his way through this aria as DFD did so many times. Also, few performances manage to capture the irony of the words and their musical setting.

[MrFpam]

@tervito I'm always amazed at the readiness and willingness of people like yourself to criticise first-rate performances. I don't recall the great Fischer-Dieskay barking, nor do i hear or see any barking here. It is not an easy aria to sing but he does it very well, with the excellent orchestra (and brilliant trumpeter) under Gardiner. You seem to have unrealistic expectations, or maybe you are just trying to show how clever you are!

[tervito]

@MrFpam It's just a matter of taste, not a moral failing. There's plenty of top-tier performances that I heartily enjoy.

[kingturtje]

What a wonderful performance, the trumpet-playing is absolutely brilliant, as is Henschel singing and of course Gardiners conducting (the tempi are perfect). This aria is definitely one of the most beautiful in music history and gives me goose bumps every time! A humble bow for Bach and all of the performers in this clip.

[tenorjamestaylor]

I really wish that people would not "overthink" the singing of Bach. A well produced, beautiful voice CAN be used, not just a mediocre singer.

[makerofjam]

Dietrich Henschel's facial expressions are almost as amazing as his singing.

[RhoDaZZGR]

Well done Niklas Eklund, indeed. Consistently amazing.

[giannibert]

The best Baroque trumpeter in the world :) this fine performance is a masterpiece of mastery, elegance and superior tecnique !! Mister Eklund you are the heir of Gottfried Reiche, Bach spirit lives in you !

[KecoaAutis]

I always imagined that bass singers are big and fat, not skinny like this one :D

[mio309]

ui ui ui

[19sp70]

Grosser Herr, o starker König,

Liebster Heiland, o wie wenig

Achtest du der Erden Pracht!

Der die ganze Welt erhält,

Ihre Pracht und Zier erschaffen,

Muss in harten Krippen schlafen.

Grosser Herr, o starker König,

Liebster Heiland, o wie wenig

Achtest du der Erden Pracht!

[newhotmailit]

simply stunning!!!! the perfect conduction and bach voice !!!

[polutropov]

I think Dietrich Henschel and John Eliot Gardiner give the most brilliant and vivid interpratation of this piece

[PEAinSwe]

It's like the trumpet and the singer are doing two different versions of this music. The ease and natural flow in the trumpet and the aggressive and "pushed" singing.

[tervito]

The singer is too hectoring and joyless. Plus his tone is too much like another Dietrich who was always so disagreeable in Bach.

[kingturtje]

Brilliant!

[MrClaviers]

Why so aggressive, Dietrich? Just relax, stop trying so hard to impress ... and let the music do its own thing. And what's with the ascending trumpet scale to finish? Is the descending scale not symbolic of Christ coming to earth?

[jmmz345]

@MrClaviers I think the singer is wonderful, his tone of voice is appropriate for the occasion for what they are singing about. jeez, better have a powerful voice its good too don't criticize

[Congruky]

Impecable

[NABERANA]

DIVINO !!!...MÚSICA DO CÉU!

[singerswithpresence]

Thank you for sharing this wonderful version - cracking trumpet & lovely bass. Very minor cirticism - if the bass could echo the wonderful physical poise & ease of the trumpeter it would be as great to watch as it is wonderful to listen to. Quality.

[joebs22]

Perfect for Bach and Henschel

[rosovavoda]

Perfect!!!

[maestroRollo]

Having performed this on the pic and conducted it several times, I think that this performance may well be the gold standard. The vitality and precision are overwhelming. It has reinvigorated this work, saving it from well-meaning but overly romantic, stodgy performances more characteristic of Brahms than Bach.

[voltamore]

Niklas is the Maurice André of the Natural Trumpet.

[don2face]

i dont like henschels way of singing. its cind of too fast and dynamically not esthetic

[dogisgreat1]

Too fast.

[xrtze]

@dogisgreat1 no, as all of gardiners version the PERFECT tempo. No one understands Bach like him.

[MarshalGZhukov]

Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau owns this aria.

[stephig7]

So excellent...

[guinguette07]

The trumpet part is available at Maurice Andre's website.

[mauricedelacroix]

I prefer Andreas Schmidt.

[riccardosiega]

Niklas Eklund is the best!!!

[senhoredson]

Very, very good trumpet.

I don't like Dietrich Henschel interpretation of this aria. It's too agressive.

The bass from the 1984 Gardiner recording is pretty better.

[NosHabebitHumus]

Just what I thought too! Of course, the tempo is also just a shade too fast. The trumpet playing (original instrument) is absolutely fantastic!! Gorgeous!

[Trumpetbasel]

Sorry guys, but this is Niklas! Great all-round performance, and great playin' from Niklas! : ))

[wattever333]

why does it stop every minute??? why do some clips play well and others are crap? does it have to do with the size of the file? I know it has nothing to do with "traffic", as some people have said.

[senhoredson]

of course it has to do with network bandwidth!

your buffer is not loading enough to play the video without interruptions. It sometimes happen to me, but I wait it loads completelly. These stops are really very frustrating

[wattever333]

but why does it happen only with this video? my bandwidth is always the same. and even if I let it load completely, the problem persists. is this file bigger than average?

[wattever333]

and tonight it's simply NOT playing. the white dots keep turning indefinitely. Unlike other videos in youtube.

[trombonation7]

Very nice

[Trompeter1971]

Bach kommt leichtfüßig daher, vielen Dank an alle Beteiligten !! Nur die zwei letzten Takte der Trompete wollen nicht so ganz ins Ohr gehen, aber sonst perfekter Naturtrompetensound... ich werde es mir immer wieder anhören.

[opus88888]

Excelente tu apunte. Todos lo entendieron.

[WahnamJeffrey]

lovely playing from Niklas.

[MASA92190]

I like the period instruments.

[kistrombitas]

who is the trumpet player? he's amazing!!

[demianspindler]

Niklas Eklund

[kistrombitas]

Thanks! :)

[cicciopastina83]

Niklas Eklund

[cicciopastina83]

sorry I haven't seen that someone's already answered

[kistrombitas]

It's OK, thanks :)

[harddiskaunt]

non è Niklas Eklund,si assomigliano solo per il taglio di capelli....

[harddiskaunt]

Translation..

is not Niklas Eklund,only having the same hairstyle.... :))

[Yossus]

wenn ich so singen könnte wie er, würde ich es genau so und nicht anders interpretieren... genial

[ardjoena]

don't like his technique. too histrionic too.

[amatibassoon]

In my opinion, thats just perfect: Bachs Oratorio, played in a beautiful small church, with a wonderful orchestra with baroque instruments, but it doesnt sound to baroque ;) gardiner + henschel = excellent!!!

[zinpgh]

WOW!

[Biber0315]

Henschel looks like Robert Oppenheimer! Wonderful performance.

[trombonation7]

what a baroque trumpet sound! amazing, I've seen him live and it's absolutely unbelieveble. those trill are woww!

[henochdavid]

Der arme Jesus, Herr Henschel "spricht" ziemlich arrogant mit ihm :) gibt es eine Videoaufnahme mit Olaf Baer oder Klaus Haeger? Beide sind stimmlich/musikalisch besser...

[stratect]

henochdavid: Was meinen Sie, arrogant sprechen? Glauben Sie das Jesu beleidigt sein kan?

[gjfurn38967]

Bach swinging :) wonderful ...

[TFreckle]

His lip-trills are amazing!

[stratect]

Absolutely STUNNING performance! Forget presumed protocol. Bach would have WANTED us to embelish it just as John Eliot has done. AndyHirt is right: "this music was supposed to be embelished". Eklund's trumpet - SUPERB! Dietrich Henschel - THE BEST! There is nothing offensive to me about this piece as performed. On the contrary, It truly provides me with inspiration to be jubilant and joyous about God's unending righteousness. Eliot, Henschel, Eklund, und orchestra: Ihr seit die aller besten!

[otrolog]

Although I'm *very* late, I still have to say *Yay!* & 'I bow down' to alexisbasque's & trompetespieler's comments. Agree 100%! If Eklund (and Sir JEG) is wrong, I don't want to be right.

[NorbertZF]

One need not comment on perfection! But I will anyway.

Beautifully played and sung! I have never heard a baroque trumpet played any better. Good tempo, not too slow or fast. Great bass singer! Makes me feel that I've lived a life wasted. Musical talent and no access to display it or enjoy it. Thanks for this video. It helps me realize that there's hope yet.

[Yossus]

Actually, Dietrich Henschel is baritone... But that makes it even more amazing!

[KristalAV]

Yes it does! He takes on many Bass-baritone or bass parts though. Or he has been recently.

[stratect]

NorbertZF I'm totally with you on this. There IS hope....for all of us and for the entire world (Die ganze Welt). God bless Papa Bach and those who sing/play his music.

[Shandyroo1]

i agree with alexisbasque!! - and btw ur voice is excellent!, im developing my baritone/bass voice, but im finding tone development difficult, but your voice is just an inspiration thankyou!

[jasjjb]

Having heard this piece many times in the last few weeks I must say that this sounds like absolutely professional and highly musical. Both singer and trumpet player did a great job. I also agree 100% with the comment of alexisbasque. Thanks Inwit for posting

[KristalAV]

Love Henschel!!!!

[8497289]

I think sigmaclass should tell his/her teacher that they know nothing about baroque music. it was the practice to add ornamentation, it makes the piece more interesting.

[baroquetrumpeterguy]

Well said Monsieur alexisbasque!

[mozgreen]

Not being a total purist I enjoyed this very much.

[evorenegat]

lots of "advised..." :s

[AndyHirt]

There is a great lack of understanding in these comments. If you read the Altenberg, Bendenelli, Fantini, Smithers, Tarr, etc., you will find that this music was supposed to be embellished. Classical music was a reaction to this and simplified out all of the improvised ornaments. Although Eklund didn't "huff" and use alternate tonguings, he did an exceptional job. Gardner can be slightly faulted because the embellishments were not done on-the-spot, but decided before-hand.

[trompetespieler]

nik eklund is the man

[alexisbasque]

When any of you - ANY OF YOU - can masterize baroque trumpet to that level and have the chance and the musical strengh to approach Gardiner closer than a mile away and play music for him, maybe then you may make a thoughtful respectful comment. Until then, practice. Envy and pride is most trumpeter's biggest ptoblems; you know this is an exceptionnal interpretaiton, just admit it and live with it! Peace and music unto you all;)

[szerelmem5]

This trumpet playing is the best ever,,,

[djo028]

I find Eklund's trumpet playing perfectly appropriate. He is nimble, in tune and his playing brings freshness to the piece. Some more scholarly people might argue that Bach never left room for much improvisation since his ornamentations are well-known and categorized nowadays, but this is still a ways away from an improvisational jam session on the natural trumpet! My 2 cents: well done.

[gpesp]

I am used to baroque trumpets (play one myself). Eklund's way of finishing this piece is destroying Bach's work. How could John Elliot allow this to happen???

[chriskern99]

Do you mean his improvisation on the final cadence? That was standard Baroque practice for the repeat part of a da capo aria so Gardiner perhaps wanted that to happen.

[gpesp]

Yes I mean the final part. I am also aware of the practice of improvisation in the baroque era, but... all kinds of alterations of music (trills, improvisations etc.) must change the music to the better. Not to the worse. That goes for the baroque era as well as for today. Eklund's last passage makes this piece sound like a children's song. So Eklund: next time, please figure out a better ending.

[funklion]

i dont really understand what you are talking about either.... the only thing he does differently at the end from his previous ornaments is the scale. a scale makes it sound like a children's song? i'm no period music specialist but it definitely didn't stick out as ruinous to me. its a virtuoso trumpet part so i don't think a little flair is vulgar- in fact it seems called for. specifically what do you find so offensive?

[jjrivas69]

agreed!

[kenalebla]

As has been mentioned sigmaclass, it is absolutely not the case that some improvising would have been done in this setting. Improvising was common practice, especially in a setting with solo voice and a supporting instrument. In fact, a certain level of improvisation would have been expected.

If you would like to investigate further, you might begin with Improvisation in Early Music by Ben Bechtel.

[gpesp]

Eklund's interpretation is vulgar

[scyldschefing]

How's that? Maybe you're just not used to the sound of an unvalved trumpet?

[jjrivas69]

Oh my God! are baroque specialist?? why do think it is vulgar? Improvisation is a very usual practice in baroque style. The ornamentation Eklund made was totally correct.

[senhoredson]

When was it recorded?

[bebopnazi]

Beautiful trumpet playing!

[ojtrumpet]

Yes, it is Niklas Eklund playing the natural trumpet.