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Building a Library: Jonathan Freeman-Attwood surveys recordings of Lutheran Masses by JS Bach
Each of Bach's cantatas, tied to a particular date in the liturgical calendar, had a limited shelf-life with no more than three performances before a new one was required. But a Mass setting had the potential to be used much more frequently and Bach recycled some of his best cantata movements in his four Masses intended for liturgical use. For many years these so-called Lutheran masses, setting only the Kyrie and Gloria, were overshadowed by the great B minor Mass (rendered unperformable in his lifetime, as Bach well knew, by its full Catholic setting of the text). But these utilitarian works are stuffed full with some of Bach's best music and have been recorded by many of the top international professional choirs and period instrument ensembles.
Available recordings:-
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers
Dresdner Kreuzchor
Anne Harley (soprano), Andrea Folan (soprano), Heather Gardner (soprano)
Miranda Loud (alto), Pablo Bustos (tenor), Max van Egmond (bass), Publick Musick Orchestra, Publick Musick Choir, Thomas Folan (download)
Agnes Mellon (soprano), Gerard Lesne(alto), Christoph Pregardien (tenor), Peter Kooy (bass)
Collegium Vocale, Ghent, Philippe Herreweghe
Cantus Cölln, Konrad Junghänel (BaL Choice 2008)
Sandrine Piau, Johannette Zomer (soprano), Bogna Bartosz, Nathalie Stutzman (alto), James Gilchrist, Christoph Prégardien, Jörg Dürmüller (tenor) & Klaus Mertens (bass), Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman
Ensemble Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon
Susan Gritton (soprano), Nancy Argenta (soprano), Robin Blaze (counter-tenor), Michael Chance (counter-tenor), Mark Padmore (tenor), Peter Harvey (bass), Purcell Quartet
Elisabeth Speiser (soprano), Ingeborg Russ (alto), Jakob Stampfli (bass), John Van Kesteren (tenor), Stuttgart Gachinger Kantorei, Stuttgart Bach Collegium, Helmuth Rilling
Barbara Bonney (soprano), Olaf Bar (baritone), Birgit Remmert (mezzo-soprano) & Rainer Trost (tenor), RIAS Chamber Chorus & C.P.E. Bach Chamber Orchestra, Peter Schreier
With Hana Blažíková & Joanne Lunn (sopranos), Robin Blaze (counter-tenor), Gerd Türk (tenor), Peter Kooij (bass), Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki
Building a Library: Jonathan Freeman-Attwood surveys recordings of Lutheran Masses by JS Bach
Each of Bach's cantatas, tied to a particular date in the liturgical calendar, had a limited shelf-life with no more than three performances before a new one was required. But a Mass setting had the potential to be used much more frequently and Bach recycled some of his best cantata movements in his four Masses intended for liturgical use. For many years these so-called Lutheran masses, setting only the Kyrie and Gloria, were overshadowed by the great B minor Mass (rendered unperformable in his lifetime, as Bach well knew, by its full Catholic setting of the text). But these utilitarian works are stuffed full with some of Bach's best music and have been recorded by many of the top international professional choirs and period instrument ensembles.
Available recordings:-
The Sixteen, Harry Christophers
Dresdner Kreuzchor
Anne Harley (soprano), Andrea Folan (soprano), Heather Gardner (soprano)
Miranda Loud (alto), Pablo Bustos (tenor), Max van Egmond (bass), Publick Musick Orchestra, Publick Musick Choir, Thomas Folan (download)
Agnes Mellon (soprano), Gerard Lesne(alto), Christoph Pregardien (tenor), Peter Kooy (bass)
Collegium Vocale, Ghent, Philippe Herreweghe
Cantus Cölln, Konrad Junghänel (BaL Choice 2008)
Sandrine Piau, Johannette Zomer (soprano), Bogna Bartosz, Nathalie Stutzman (alto), James Gilchrist, Christoph Prégardien, Jörg Dürmüller (tenor) & Klaus Mertens (bass), Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir, Ton Koopman
Ensemble Pygmalion, Raphaël Pichon
Susan Gritton (soprano), Nancy Argenta (soprano), Robin Blaze (counter-tenor), Michael Chance (counter-tenor), Mark Padmore (tenor), Peter Harvey (bass), Purcell Quartet
Elisabeth Speiser (soprano), Ingeborg Russ (alto), Jakob Stampfli (bass), John Van Kesteren (tenor), Stuttgart Gachinger Kantorei, Stuttgart Bach Collegium, Helmuth Rilling
Barbara Bonney (soprano), Olaf Bar (baritone), Birgit Remmert (mezzo-soprano) & Rainer Trost (tenor), RIAS Chamber Chorus & C.P.E. Bach Chamber Orchestra, Peter Schreier
With Hana Blažíková & Joanne Lunn (sopranos), Robin Blaze (counter-tenor), Gerd Türk (tenor), Peter Kooij (bass), Bach Collegium Japan, Masaaki Suzuki
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