| Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) - Johannes-Passion, BWV 245 (1986) |
| Cover Front | Album | ||||||||||||||||||
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| Track List | |||||
| 51:44 | |||||
| 01 | Part One: Chorus: Herr, unser Herrscher | 09:15 | |||
| 02 | Part One: Jesus ging mit seinen Jungern uber den Bach Kidron - Jesum v esus an | 02:14 | |||
| 03 | Part One: O grobe Lieb, o Lieb ohn' alle Mabe | 00:47 | |||
| 04 | Part One: Auf dab das Wort erfullet wurde | 01:01 | |||
| 05 | Part One: Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich | 00:50 | |||
| 06 | Part One: Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann und die Diener der Jude | 00:45 | |||
| 07 | Part One: Von den Stricken mainer Sunden mich zu entbinden | 04:45 | |||
| 08 | Part One: Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesu nach | 00:15 | |||
| 09 | Part One: Ich folge dir gleichfalls mit freudigen Schritten | 03:24 | |||
| 10 | Part One: Derselbige Junger war dem Hohenpriester bekannt | 02:46 | |||
| 11 | Part One: Wer hat dich so geschlagen | 01:30 | |||
| 12 | Part One: Und Hannas sandte ihn gebunden zu dem Hohenpriester Kaiphas ach | 01:47 | |||
| 13 | Part One: Ach, mein Sinn, wo willt du endlich bin | 02:24 | |||
| 14 | Part One: Petrus, der nicht denkt zuruck | 01:17 | |||
| 15 | Part Two: Christus, der uns selig macht | 01:06 | |||
| 16 | Part Two: Da fuhreten sie Jesum von Kaiphas vor das Richthaus - Wared fenni | 03:55 | |||
| 17 | Part Two: Ach grober Konig, grob zu allen Zeiten | 01:24 | |||
| 18 | Part Two: Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm - Nicht diesen, sondern Barrabam!- | 01:51 | |||
| 19 | Part Two: Betrachte, mein Seel, mit angstlichem Vergnugen | 02:20 | |||
| 20 | Part Two: Erwage, wie sein blutgefarbter Rucken | 08:08 | |||
| 54:29 | |||||
| 01 | Part Two: Und die Kriegsknechte flochten eine Krone von Dornen - Sei gegrubet, lieber Judenkonig! - Und gaben ihm Backenstreiche - Kreuzige kruezige! - Pilatus sprach zu ihnen - Wir haben ein Gesetz - Da Pilatus das Wort horete | 05:22 | |||
| 02 | Part Two: Durch dein Gefangnis, Gottes Sohn | 00:49 | |||
| 03 | Part Two: Die Juden aber schrieen und sprachen - Lassest du diesen los - Da Pilatus das Wort horete - Weg, weg mit dem - Spricht Pilatus zu ihnen - Wir haben keinen Konig denn den Kaiser - Da uberantwortete er ihn, dab er gekreuziget wurde | 03:54 | |||
| 04 | Part Two: Eilt ihr angefochtnen Seelen - Wohin? | 03:55 | |||
| 05 | Part Two: Allda kreuzigten sie ihn - Schreibe nicht: der Juden Konig - Pilatus antwortet | 02:05 | |||
| 06 | Part Two: In meines Herzens Grunde | 00:54 | |||
| 07 | Part Two: Die Kriegsknechte aber, da sie Jesum gekreuziget hatten - Lasset uns den nicht zerteilen - Auf dab erfullet wurde die Schrift | 03:21 | |||
| 08 | Part Two: Er nahm alles wohl in acht | 01:02 | |||
| 09 | Part Two: Und von Stund an nahm sie der Junger zu sich | 01:19 | |||
| 10 | Part Two: Es ist vollbracht! | 05:19 | |||
| 11 | Part Two: Und neiget das Haupt und verschied | 00:24 | |||
| 12 | Part Two: Mein teurer Heiland, lab dich fragen - Jesu, der du warest tot | 04:01 | |||
| 13 | Part Two: Und sieche da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerrib | 00:25 | |||
| 14 | Part Two: Mein Herz, indem die ganze Welt | 00:56 | |||
| 15 | Part Two: Zerfliebe, mein Herze | 06:57 | |||
| 16 | Part Two: Die Juden aber, dieweil es der Rusttag war | 02:01 | |||
| 17 | Part Two: O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn | 01:02 | |||
| 18 | Part Two: Darnach bat Pilatum Joseph von Arimathia | 02:10 | |||
| 19 | Part Two: Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine | 06:48 | |||
| 20 | Part Two: Ach Herr, lab dein lieb Engelein | 01:45 | |||
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| Notes |
| Evangelest: Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Tenor
Jesus: Stephen Varcoe, Bass Pilate: Cornelius Hauptmann Maid: Gillian Ross, Soprano Servants: Andrew Murgatroyd; Nicholas Robertson, Tenors Peter: Simon Birchall Nancy Argenta; Ruth Holton: Sopranos Michael Chance: Alto Neil Archer; Rufus Muller: Tenors Lisa Beznosiuk; Guy Williams: Flute Anthony Robson; Valerie Darke: Oboe Richard Earle: Oboe da caccia Roy Goodman; Pavlo Beznosiuk: Viola d'amore Richard Campbell: Viola da gamba Timothy Mason: Violincello Valerie Botwright: Double-bass Jakob Lindberg: Lute Alastair Ross: Organ Notes, text and translation Essay: "The Passion: Historical and Religious Tradition" by Kurt von Fischer Gramophone review: Except that he uses sopranos rather than trebles, Gardiner has adopted an 'authentic' approach to this performance of the St John Passion. It is given at low pitch with a 30-piece orchestra of period instruments and a chorus of two dozen; the chamber-organ continuo does not sustain chords in the recitatives (except for some of the words of Jesus); soloists, chorus and orchestra alike insert appoggiaturas at appropriate places. In keeping with the dramatic character of the work - which has fewer interpolated lyrical arias than the St Matthew Passion - Gardiner does everything possible to stress its continuity: recitatives lead effectively into choruses, and the impetus is not allowed to slacken. The cast of soloists he has assembled is, without exception, first-rate. Anthony Rolfe Johnson makes an admirable Evangelist, mellifluous or dramatic as the moment demands, Judging the varied pace and timing of recitatives to a nicety, and avoiding self-consciousness or mannerisms; Stephen Varcoe is a young-sounding but dignified Jesus; Cornelius Hauptmann brings character to the role of Pilate and sings the florid aria Eilt, ihr angefochtenen Seelen with assurance; Michael Chance adds to his fast-growing reputation with a finely controlled Es ist vollbracht, with a vigorous middle section; two sopranos, both with pure boyish voices, take an aria each - Ruth Holton (with a deliciously light flute obbligato) Ich folge dir gleichfalls and Nancy Argenta (beautifully partnered by flute and oboe de caccia) in Zerfliesse, mein Herze; and a very good tenor, new to me, named Rufus Muller, is untiring in the long and taxing Erwage aria (in which the gamba line needed to be a little stronger to balance the two viole d'amore). The chorus singing is splendidly fresh, light (in Bist du nicht seiner Junger einer?) or thrillingly firm-voiced (as in the clamour to crucify Jesus, the thrustful Wir haben ein Gesetz and the two chromatic crowd outbursts at the start of Part 2); and the orchestral playing is clean, with thoroughly reliable intonation from the baroque wind players. Add very well-balanced recorded sound, and this version of the St John Passion bids fair to become a first choice for the work on records - if, that is, you can accept Gardiner's almost consistently fast speeds. Right from the brisk opening chorus it becomes clear that he has discarded accepted performance traditions for the work and thought it out anew; and one is not surprised to find that overall he lops more than 20 minutes off the normal duration (as exemplified by the Richter/Archiv Produktion recording). The 'scourging' recitative and, particularly, the chorus where the soldiers decide to cast lots for Christ's robe rather than divide it, have never been taken more rapidly. This may be defensible, but to rush through the heart-rending Ach, mein Sinn, crisply clipping its dotted rhythm and forcing the unfortunate Neill Archer to sound breathless, seems to defy the sense of the words. It is quite a relief to find Es ist vollbracht and the final chorus not being hurried. Certainly so much here is well done that I shall want to return to this performance: perhaps in time I shall get used to Gardiner's unorthodox interpretation. |