Johann
Sebastian BACH
(1685-1750)
St Matthew Passion
Disc 1
Kommt ihr Tochter, helft mir klagen
[8.29]
Da Jesus diese Rede vollandet hatte
[0:23]
Herzliebster Jesu, was hast due
verbrochen Hohenpriester [3:04]
Ja nicht auf das Fest
Da nun Jesus war zu Bethanien
Wozu dienet dieser Unrat
Da das Jesus merkete
Du lieber Heilland du [1:00]
Buss und Reu [4:55]
Da ging hin der Zwolfen einer
[0:39]
Blute nur, du liebes Herz [4:49]
Aber am ersten Tage der sussen Brot
[2:23]
Wo willst du, dass wir dir bereiten
Ar sprach: Gehet hin in die Stadt
Und sie wurden sehr betrubt
Herr, bin ichs
Ich bins, ich sollte bussen
[0:56]
Er antworte und sprach [3:07]
Wielwohl mein Herz in Tranen scwimmt
[1:11]
Ich will dir mein Herze schenken
[3:46]
Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen
hatten [1:10]
Erkenne mich, mein Huter [1:03]
Petrus aber antwortete und sprach
zu ihm [1:04]
Ich will hier bei dir stehen
[1:04]
Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem
Hofe [1:46]
O Schmerz! hier zittert das gequalte
Herz [2:15]
Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen
[5:59}
Und ging him ein wenig [0:42]
Der Heiland fallt vor seinem Vater
nieder [0:58]
Gerne will ich mich bequemen
[4:51]
Und er kam zu seinem Jungern
[1:12]
Was mein Gott will, das gscheh allzeit
[1:03]
Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend
[2:28]
So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen
[4:30]
Sind Blitze, sind Donner in Wolken
verschwunden [4:30]
Und siehe, einer aus demen
[2:15]
O Mensch, bewein dein Sunde gross
[6:22]
Disc 2
Aach, nun ist mein Jesus hin
[4:17]
Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten
[1:06]
Mir hat die Welt truglich gericht
[0:42]
Und wiewohl viel falsche Zeugen
herzutraten [1:19]
Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen
Lugen stille [0:53]
Geduld [3:21]
Und der Hohepriester antwortete
und sprach zu ihm [2:15]
Er ist des Todes schuldig
Da spieteten sie aus
Weissage uns, Christe
Wer hat dich so geschlagen
[0:55]
Petrus aber sass draussen im Palast
[2:26]
Wahrlich, du bist auch einer von denem
Da hub er an, sich zu verfluchen
Erbarme dich [6:43]
Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen
[1:08]
Des Morgens aber hielten alle Hohepriester
[2:48]
Was gehet uns das an
Und er warf die Silberlinge in der Tempel
Gebt mir meinen Jesum wider
[2:51]
Sie hielten aber einen Rat
[2:13]
Befiiehl du deine Wege [1:05]
Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger
Gewohnheit [2:28]
Lass ihn kreuzigen
Wie wunderbarlich ist doch diese
Strafe [0:51]
Der Landpflegersagte [0:15]
Er hat uns allen wohlgetan
[1:03]
Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben
[4:35]
Sie schrieen aber noch mehr
[2:03]
Lass ihn kreuzigen
Da aber Pilatus sahe
Sein Blut komme uber uns
Da gab er ihnen Barrabam los
Erbarm es Gott [0:51]
Konnen Tranen meiner Wangen
[6:03]
Disc 3
Da nahmen die Kriegsknichte
[1:11]
Gegrusset seist du, Judenkonig
Und speieten ihn an
O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden [2:16]
Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten
[0:54]
Ja freilich will in uns das Fleisch
und Blot [0:42]
Komm, susses Kreuz, so will ich
sagen [5:45]
Und da die an die Statte kamen
[3:41}
Der du den Tempei Gottes (the rest of
this I can't read)
Desgleichen auch die Hohen priester
Andern hat er geholfen
Desgleichen schmathetan ihn auch die
Morder
Ach Golgatha [1:36]
Sehet, Jesus hat die Hand [3:34]
Und von der sechsten Stunde an
[2:28]
Der rufet dem Elias
Und bald lief einer unter ihnen
Halt! lass sehen
Aber Jesus scriee abermal
Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden
[1:26]
Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempei
zerriss [2:43]
Wahrlich, dieser ist Gottes Sohn gewesen
Und es waren viel Weiber da
Am Abend, da es kuhle war [2:05]
Mache dich, mein Herze, rein
[6:15]
Und Joseph nahm den Leib [2:50]
Herr, wir haben gedacht
Pilatus sprach zi ihnen
Nun ist der Ruh gebracht [2:08]
Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder
[6:59]
Christoph Prégardien (tenor),
Max van Egmond (bass), Rene Jacobs (alto),
Marcus Schafer (tenor), Klaus Mertens
(bass), David Cordier (alto), John Elwes
(tenor), Peter Lika (bass)
Tolzer Knabenchoir, La Petite Bande/Gustav
Leonhardt
Recorded Doopsgezinde Kerke, Haarlem
1989 DDD
HARMONIA MUNDI RD77848 [3CDs:
74:40 + 51:10 + 46:32]
Johann Sebastian
BACH (1685-1750)
St John Passion BWV 245
Disc 1
O Lord, Our Sovereign [10:41]
Jesus went forth with his disciples
[1:09]
Jesus of Nazareth [0:12]
Jesus saith unto them [0:48]
Jesus answered [0:23]
O great boundless love [1:00]
That the saying might be fulfilled
[1:12]
Thy will be done [1:04]
Then the band and the captain
[0:43]
To set me free [5:34]
And Simon Peter followed [0:15]
I, too, follow Thee [3:57]
That disciple [3:08]
Who hath beaten Thee thus [2:19]
Now Annas had sent him bound
[0:18]
Art thou not also one of his disciples
[0:28]
He denied it [1:35]
O, my senses [2:47]
Peter, who reflecteth not [1:25]
Christ, who bringeth us salvation
[1:24]
Then they led Jesus [0:36]
If he were not a malefactor [1:06]
Then Pilate said unto them [0:11]
It is not lawful for us [0:40]
That the saying might be fulfilled
[1:47]
O great King [1:40]
Pilate therefore said unto him
[1:26]
Not this man, but Barrabas [0:11]
Now Barrabas was a robber [0:28]
Contemplate, my soul [2:24]
Consider, His bloodstained back
[8:30]
Disc 2
And the soldiers plaited [0:18]
Hail, King of the Jews! [0:35]
And they smote him [1:04]
Crucify him, crucify him! [0:53]
Pilate said unto them [0:20]
We have a law [1:16]
When Pilate heard that saying
[1:43]
By the way of Thy prison [1:02]
But the Jews cried out [0:04]
If thou let this man go [1:17]
When Pilate therefore heard [0:41]
Away with him [1:00]
Pilate said unto them [0:11]
We have no king [0:10]
Then he delivered him [0:58]
Hasten, ye troubled souls [4:26]
Where they crucified him [1:10]
Write not, The King of the Jews
[0:34]
Pilate answered [0:17]
Deep in my heart [1:10]
Then the soldiers [0:32]
Let us not rend it [1:34]
That the scripture might be fulfilled
[1:47]
He had a care for everything
[1:14]
And from that hour [1:19]
It is finished [6:11]
And he bowed his head and gave up
the ghost [0:20]
My dear saviour [5:11]
And behold [0:28]
Melt, my heart [7:16]
The Jews therefore, because it was
the preparation [2:03]
O help us, Jesus Christ [1:18]
And after this [1:55]
Rest in peace, you holy bones
[9:11]
O Lord, let Thy dear angels [2:15]
Christoph Prégardien (tenor),
Harry Van Der Kamp (bass), Barbara Schlick
(soprano), René Jacobs (alto),
Nico van der Meel (tenor), Max van Egmond
(bass)
Choir and Orchestra of La Petite Bande/Sigiswald
Kuijken
rec. Vereenigde Doopsgezinde Gemeente,
Feb, April 1987 ADD
DEUTSCHE HARMONIA MUNDI GD77041 [59:30
+ 62:49]
Then in my early teens,
this version of the great St Matthew
Passion was the first one I possessed.
I was therefore delighted to encounter
this two-box set of both Bach Passions.
There are many excellent
recordings of the Passions with conductors
ranging from von Karajan, Klemperer
and Richter to Herreweghe, Harnoncourt
and Britten. I am uncomfortably aware
that Leonhardt’s St Matthew Passion
lays itself open to criticism by virtue
of its pace and undemonstrative nature.
It calls for a particular kind of listener
who is after a spiritual approach rather
than dramatic sounds. This is undeniably
slow – fifteen minutes longer than John
Eliot Gardiner’s outstanding and exciting
recording on Archiv Produktion. One
could question whether the conductor
brings sufficient drive to the work.
I have heard this version described
as dreary and lifeless – referring not
only to the tempi but also to the weightiness
of the orchestra, which has a tendency
to be slightly ponderous and could indeed
be lighter. The dynamic range is also
rather limited, in keeping with the
spirit and original performing conditions
of the work and accentuated by the use
of boys and men in an all-male singing
production. The choir is usually good,
but can be a little uneven, while the
soloists are excellent, with the one
exception: Max van Egmond as Jesus.
He comes across as woolly, a little
ponderous, and lacking in gravitas and
charisma. Take, for example, the recitative
shared between the Evangelist and Jesus,
where Jesus says "This is my body,
take ye and eat" (track 11). It
is fairly prettily sung, but without
spirit, meaning or punch. René
Jacobs is very good, and Prégardien
as the Evangelist is lively, sensitive
and atmospheric, with a beautiful and
clear tone. Using boys really pays off
when it comes to the soprano roles,
sung by the exceptional Maximilian Kiener
and Christian Fliegner, who add gorgeous
tone and texture, searing clarity, perfect
intonation and a good deal of passion.
Leonhardt gives a deeply
felt, reverent and contemplative performance
of the St Matthew Passion. It
is beautifully played and sung; introspective
yet intense, understated yet profound.
This is a version completely lacking
in flashy, extravagant gestures but
it does rather strip the piece down
to its so-deep soul.
The St John’s Passion
in this set is conducted by Sigiswald
Kuijken, yet shares many of the Leonhardt
characteristics, also suffering from
some similar minor defects. Once again,
it is taken at a very measured pace.
It does not rush but slowly and effectively
builds up the layers of sound. Prégardien
as the Evangelist is again full of vitality
and vivacity - wonderfully enthusiastic.
The choral singing, however, is uneven
– the opening chorus, for example, leaves
something to be desired, although thankfully
the choir seem to get into their stride
further on in the work and later produce
some fine singing. Max van Egmond once
again is disappointing – some of his
runs are a little insecure, while Harry
van der Kamp makes a lack-lustre Jesus.
Kuijken does not follow Leonhardt in
sticking exclusively to male soloists;
Barbara Schlick sings the soprano role
extremely well.
As with the St Matthew
Passion, hostile critics would probably
call this dull, uninspired, tedious
and too weighty. However if one can
get into the slightly more conservative,
reflective and introverted manner, one
will be able to appreciate both performances
for their depth and spirituality. As
well as some lovely touches of animation,
there is superb musicianship to be found
here.
Em Marshall
Christoph Prégardien (tenor), Max van
Egmond (bass), Rene Jacobs (alto), Marcus Schafer
(tenor), Klaus Mertens (bass), David Cordier
(alto), John Elwes (tenor), Peter Lika (bass)
