Bach Christmas Oratorio Thursday: 2:00 pm

[doversoul1]

I’m not sure how many of us can get back into the right mind set but this looks worth listening.

Bach Christmas Oratorio - a complete performance recorded last month in Berlin of this choral masterpiece. First performed at Leipzig's two main churches in the Chistmas of 1734-5, the work tells the Christmas story in six chapters.

Presented by Penny Gore
Performed by RIAS Chamber Chorus,
Akademie für Alte Musik, Berlin,
Hans-Christoph Rademann (director)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01ps94p

[JFLL]

Curious that it's billed in the Radio Times as 'Opera Matinée'. Not enough operas to go round? (How about slipping in one of those early Verdi pot-boilers to make up the tally, though?)

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

It's as glorious a set of works (= "opera", gedditt?) as the "Brandenburg" Concerti - enjoyable at any time of the year!

[jean]

Curious that it's billed in the Radio Times as 'Opera Matinée'...

If it's two o'clock on a Thursday, then it's an opera.

[Beresford]

Sounded very good indeed to me, (but I only caught the last half hour). Tamed brass and exciting baroque strings. Were the soloists as good? The choir certainly sounded as though they meant the words, which is not always the case with many of the technically brilliant UK choral groups,

[Beresford]

If it's two o'clock on a Thursday, then it's an opera.

So should we be in the "Afternoon on 3" forum rather than Early Music?
And wasn't it nice to hear Penny Gore's measured presentation

[ardcarp]

I couldn't believe my luck to have the whole thing this pm. Well done R3. Having sung it as a treble and as a budding tenor (in English) every note of it has stuck in my memory as things do when you learn them young. It was I'm afraid 'in the background' this pm as I was doing other work, but I found myself singing along a lot of the time. As for the soloists, I was only concentrating on the tenor (as that's been my territory) and he seemed pretty good to me. He took 'Haste ye Shepherds' at a sensibly steady pace....one of those arias where the wheels fall off if you (or the conductor) are not careful.

[doversoul1]

JFLL

Curious that it's billed in the Radio Times as 'Opera Matinée'. Not enough operas to go round? (How about slipping in one of those early Verdi pot-boilers to make up the tally, though?)

Somebody at Radio3 must have thought enough was enough. Good for him/her/them


Beresford

So should we be in the "Afternoon on 3" forum rather than Early Music?
And wasn't it nice to hear Penny Gore's measured presentation

When Beethoven’s 5th is raging, even Bach couldn’t get a word in edgeways. It’s much quieter and calmer here. And I entirely agree (re: Penny Gore's measured presentation). Welcome to the Early Music Show board.

I thought it was an unfussy and very good performance.