Bach: Christmas Oratorio

King's College Choir - Bach: Christmas Oratorio

Bach: Christmas Oratorio
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CD Details

Artist: King's College Choir
Performer: J.S. Bach
Edition: Music CD
Audio: German (Unknown)
CD Release Date: 2008-11-11
Music Label: EMI Classics
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
  1. Jauchzet, frohlocket!:- Christmas Oratorio
  2. Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit:- Christmas Oratorio
  3. Nun wird mein liebster Bräutigam:- Christmas Oratorio
  4. Bereite dich, Zion:- Christmas Oratorio
  5. Wie soll ich dich empfangen:- Christmas Oratorio
  6. Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn:- Christmas Oratorio
  7. Er ist auf Erden kommen arm:- Christmas Oratorio
  8. Grosser Herr und starker König:- Christmas Oratorio
  9. Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein!:- Christmas Oratorio
  10. Sinfonia:- Christmas Oratorio
  11. Und es waren Hirten:- Christmas Oratorio
  12. Brich an, o schönes Morgenlicht:- Christmas Oratorio
  13. Und der Engel sprach:- Christmas Oratorio
  14. Was Gott dem Abraham verheissen:- Christmas Oratorio
  15. Frohe Hirten, eilt:- Christmas Oratorio
  16. Und das habt zum Zeichen:- Christmas Oratorio
  17. Schaut hin!:- Christmas Oratorio
  18. Sp geht denn hin!:- Christmas Oratorio
  19. Schlafe, mein Liebster:- Christmas Oratorio
  20. Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel:- Christmas Oratorio
  21. Ehre sei Gott in der Höhe:- Christmas Oratorio
  22. So recht, ihr Engel:- Christmas Oratorio
  23. Wir singen dir in deinem Heer:- Christmas Oratorio
  24. Herrscher des Himmels:- Christmas Oratorio
  25. Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel:- Christmas Oratorio
  26. Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem:- Christmas Oratorio
  27. Er hat sein Volk getröst't:- Christmas Oratorio
  28. Dies hat er alles uns getan:- Christmas Oratorio
  29. Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen:- Christmas Oratorio
  30. Und sie kamen eilend:- Christmas Oratorio
  31. Schliesse, mein Herze:- Christmas Oratorio
  32. Ja, ja, mein Herz soll es bewahren:- Christmas Oratorio
  33. Ich will dich mit Fleiss bewahren:- Christmas Oratorio
Music CD 2
  1. Und die Hirten:- Christmas Oratorio
  2. Seid froh dieweil:- Christmas Oratorio
  3. Herrscher des Himmels (rpt):- Christmas Oratorio
  4. Fallt mit Danken:- Christmas Oratorio
  5. Und da acht Tage:- Christmas Oratorio
  6. Immanuel, o süsses Wort!:- Christmas Oratorio
  7. Flösst, mein Heiland:- Christmas Oratorio
  8. Wohlan! Dein Name soll allein:- Christmas Oratorio
  9. Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben:- Christmas Oratorio
  10. Jesus richte mein Beginnen:- Christmas Oratorio
  11. Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen:- Christmas Oratorio
  12. Da Jesus geboren:- Christmas Oratorio
  13. Wo ist der neugeborene König der Jüden?:- Christmas Oratorio
  14. Dein Glanz all' Finsternis verzehrt:- Christmas Oratorio
  15. Erleucht' auch meine finstre Sinnen:- Christmas Ortorio
  16. Da das der König Herodes:- Christmas Oratorio
  17. Warum wollt ihr erschrecken?:- Christmas Oratorio
  18. Und liess versammeln alle Hohenpriester:- Christmas Oratorio
  19. Ach! Wann wird die Zeit erscheinen?:- Christmas Oratorio
  20. Mein Liebster herrschet schon:- Christmas Oratorio
  21. Zwar ist solche Herzensstube:- Christmas Oratorio
  22. Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde:- Christmas Oratorio
  23. Da berief Herodes:- Christmas Oratorio
  24. Du Falsche, suche nur den Herrn zu fällen:- Christmas Oratorio
  25. Nur ein Wink:- Christmas Oratorio
  26. Als sie nun den König:- Christmas Oratorio
  27. Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier:- Christmas Oratorio
  28. Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum:- Christmas Oratorio
  29. So geht! genug, mein Schatz:- Christmas Oratorio
  30. Nun mögt ihr stolzen Feinde:- Christmas Oratorio
  31. Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun:- Christmas Oratorio
  32. Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen:- Christmas Oratorio

Music reviews of Bach: Christmas Oratorio

Music Review: a voice teacher and early music fan
Rating: 5 Stars

RENDITION PAR-EXCELLENCE FROM THE KING'S COLLEGE CHOIR WITH FOUR MUSICAL LEGENDS AS SOLOISTS!
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) created his Christmas Oratorio during 1734 for performance in church over the ensuing Christmas period. It consists of six cantatas which between them tell the story of the Nativity, and the events of the following week or so.

Although the six cantatas are designed to be performed on separate days from Christmas Day to Epiphany, it does not necessarily follow that they are unconnected. Bach must have composed the work continuously and there are many, sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle connections between the separate parts. And there is, of course, the obvious connection in the Evangelist's narrative, which is based on the gospel readings of the season.

This 1976 version by the King's College Choir is performed on modern instruments, and therefore the orchestral sound is quite rich as compared to period ensembles. The playing is quite stylish, especially in the obligato instruments such as the trumpet played smoothly by Michael Laird and the fine violin playing by Iona Brown. These individual names I only can give because of an older cassette tape of this performance; the notes accompanying this CD are sparse giving only the actual performance outline and a very brief comment on it.

Where this performance can claim authenticity is through the use of the all-male King's College Choir, those trebles(boy sopranos)bring a nice cutting edge to the top line. One must remember that this choir has much experience in the singing of Bach's music, and it shows! Prior to this recording this groups has contributed in the past to several volumes of the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt cycle of the cantatas(many of which I have, and glorious they are). From the very first entrance of the choir, it displays conviction and bite, communicating to the listener the jubilation of Bach. By the same token the chior delivers a quietness and lightness of sound to the "Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem" in cantata 3. Their entire performance has this joyous stamp of Bach's nature, who a man in spite of all the sorrows of his life, was still able to write music that glows,glistens and sparkles with his genius.

The positive above comments about the choir must also include a really outstanding and somewhat legendary group of soloists: soprano, Elly Ameling, alto Janet Baker, tenor,Robert Tear and bass, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Although the tenor voice of Tear seems to me somewhat rough at times, he sings his arias with great strength and vigor. I was really impressed by his rendering of the Aria in Cantata 4 "Ich will nur dur zu ehren leben", a very demanding aria which he negotiaties with clarity. Janet Baker positvely shines vocally in her alto arias (Bach gifted the alto and the tenor voices with great 'stuff' in ths oratorio)especially in the opening aria "Bereite dich Zion". Fischer-Dieskau brilliantly sang his arias conveying a magisterial mood to "Groser Herr, o starker Konig" cantata 1.

This performance by Ledger's 1976 King's College choir is tremendously exciting and energizing. Aside from the fact that the singing is first-rate: boy sopranos with clear crystalline tone quality soaring up into the stratisphere effortlessly, mellow male altos with a lushness that pleases the ear, tuneful tenors with a vibrancy of sound and basses who don't 'rumble' but maintain a lightness not always found in their voice part. Compared to other performances of this Oratorio, I have to say that Gardiner has the edge when it comes to tempos. I feel that Ledger was a bit slow in some of the choruses, and the dynamics were not as pronounced as they were in Gardiner's, Pickett's or Herreweghes(which is my personal favoite).

The recording sound is excellent; King's College Chapel has a great natural reverberation and overall acoustic that has proved it very friendly to the King's College Choirs of the past, and this is no exception. This oratorio contains some of the most life-enhancing music that Bach wrote for within it he show us the 'true undistilled' spirit of Christmas.

So do your thing, whatever that may be, but to my mind this is a collectible, rereleased or not!
More Bach: Christmas Oratorio free music reviews:
1

Description of Bach: Christmas Oratorio

The Gemini Series features an impressive roster of singers, conductors, soloists, and ensembles of international renown, all from the incomparable EMI Classics stable. EMI's rich legacy of recording expertise comes to the fore in performances from the 1960s to the 1990s. Gemini titles are predominantly collections of single composers and fantastic value with well over an hour of music on each CD, making them the ideal place to start or develop a collection of classical music. Each 2-CD set contains over two hours of music for a fantastically low price. Attractively designed and packaged in space-saving brilliant boxes, each set includes three-language booklets with detailed notes on the music.

This release of 10 new Gemini titles will bring the total number of titles in the series to 175. As with previous Gemini releases, this installment includes many recordings new to CD and as well as recordings that have been transferred from Double Forte. Among the excellent releases in this new set are performances by Plácido Domingo, Natalie Dessay, Deborah Voigt, Janet Baker, Jean-Philippe Collard, Simon Rattle, Michel Plasson, Claudio Abbado, and others! These titles have been digitally remastered to the highest standards at the world famous Abbey Road Studios.

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