BaL 11.02.17 - Bach: Mass in B minor

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

The Parrott has long been primus inter pares of OVPP versions IMO. It is really hard, however, for this format to be as satisfactory in a live performance (either for singers or audience) as the chamber choir format. The B minor is just too heavily scored.

The Parrott is, at "climactic" textural moments, TVpP - a trio of boy Alto ripienists added to the soloists. But Rifkind showed that OVpP does balance with the band, given a sensitive condutor (and, possibly, the sort of "reflective" performance favoured by Herreweghe or Suzuki, as well as Rifkind). I don't play the Rifkind very often these days - not because of balance between band and singers, but because it's just too darned "beautiful" (and "adult") for me - too much creaminess.

Three or four singers to a part seems ideal...unless you like the big chorus sound. Unfashionable though it is, I've been blown away by the latter on several occasions.

So have I! And I find that the work then becomes more of an "occasion" - a concert piece - rather than something more intimate/personal/"spiritual". Haven't heard it Live (nor remember seeing performances advertised) in over twenty years, come to think of it!

[Beresford]

A wonderful overview of how performing traditions have changed over time and a new recording to investigate (available on Qobuz for subscribers: http://player.qobuz.com/#!/album/0761203785124) ...

Thanks for this - now listening to the first 30 seconds of each movement, for free. Love the orchestra, not quite so sure about soloists or the overall feel. Not thrilled, but very impressed.

[jonfan]

Thanks for this - now listening to the first 30 seconds of each movement, for free. Love the orchestra, not quite so sure about soloists or the overall feel. Not thrilled, but very impressed.

Yes I agree. Orchestra very good but the soloists don't sound secure in the bits I've heard. A very enjoyable BAL though and NK got through a lot of info in a short while. Good to have plenty of music as well. He did seem to dismiss the likes of Christophers and Hickox in a sentence though.
It's now OK to hear big boned Bach without feeling naughty and I'd recommend giving the Jochum a listen; very well sung and played. I'm biased against anything done by JEG I'm afraid; the composer at the service of the conductor IMO. Give me Suzuki performing anything by Bach.

[ostuni]

I remember reading some very positive things about the Mortensen when it came out, so I'm delighted that it's now (it wasn't, at first) available on Qobuz. I've just had an extended listen to quite a few movements, and agree wholeheartedly with Sir Nick. Solo singing is very much a personal thing, but I can't say that I heard any insecurities in the solos: the sops (Maria Keohane & Joanne Lunn) are both absolutely gorgeous, & Peter Harvey is his usual reliable self. And I see that Chris Watson is the ripieno tenorist. The solo tenor (Jan Kobow) is the one voice that doesn't do a lot for me, but I've heard Parrott's tenor, Rogers Covey Crump, sing the piece so many times, and no one else quite matches up...

Beautifully shaped instrumental obbligati, and the tutti strings, in movements like the Christe and the Agnus, are articulate and expressive: better than in any other performance I've ever heard on disc or live. Definitely one to treasure.

[BBMmk2]

Well, he preferred it to the 2013 recording (and, if I understood him correctly, to the Herreweghe and Suzuki approaches).

I agree with Thropple's summary of the BaL (and of the newer JEGgers version) - the best BaL NK has ever done, IMO. I will probably get the Mortensen pair at some time, but I still very firmly adore the Parrott recording (and am very annoyed that no record company thought it worth their while to record his St Matt Pass). A great pity that Panito Iconomou's breath-takingly beautiful Agnus Dei wasn't given air time. And the bargain box with Leonhardt feels even more tempting now.

(AND - although I concede that these things are very relative! - Karajan in 1954 still sounds more "authentic" than Richter's a decade later.)

Will have to have some listening with these at some point, then! Thanks Ferney.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I see that Chris Watson is the ripieno tenorist.

It's just gone a couple of notches higher up on my "Wish List"! Thanks for that, osti

[DracoM]

Yes, indeed, a real object lesson in how to carry out a BAL - and on such a contentious work / performance arc as well.

[vinteuil]

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A marvellous BaL. I shall certainly be getting the Mortensen / Copenhagen.

I just wish he had been given more time. I wd have loved to hear him give a fuller appraisal of the three different Herreweghes (tho' I think he was cool about Herreweghe's - cool - approach...), and more about the differences between the 1989 and 2009 Bruggens. Particularly I wd have been interested to hear what he had to say about both Harnoncourts - clearly he saw the 1968 as a significant landmark : I don't think he mentioned the 1986 Harnoncourt at all.

But within the time constraints, this was exemplary.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

But Rifkind showed that OVpP does balance with the band,

As I was listening to the Rifkin excerpt, I felt the balance had been engineered, to ensure the trumpet didn't overwhelm the few voices. The reviewer's statement that this was not the case was unconvincing in this instance.

[Richard Barrett]

As I was listening to the Rifkin excerpt, I felt the balance had been engineered, to ensure the trumpet didn't overwhelm the few voices. The reviewer's statement that this was not the case was unconvincing in this instance.

Baroque trumpets are of course very much less loud than modern ones!

The Mortensen recording sounds very attractive. I can't wait to hear it all through.

[ostuni]

I've just listened again to the complete BaL: this morning's listening had occasional housework interruptions... And yes, I thought it was an excellent survey - though the fact that mine & NK's tastes seem very similar no doubt helped. Just one tiny blip: the Suzuki 'Et in unum' extract featured Carolyn Sampson and Robin Blaze (not Rachel Nicholls, the sop II on this recording, although nowadays heard more often, thrillingly, as Isolde or Brünnhilde).

One of the things I like about Qobuz is the way you can view the CD booklet, for most recordings - which is how I knew about Chris Watson's involvement.

[Beef Oven!]

One of the things I like about Qobuz is the way you can view the CD booklet, for most recordings - which is how I knew about Chris Watson's involvement.

One of the things that I don’t like about Qobuz (who I spend quite a lot of money with) is that more than half the recordings have no bleeding booklets!!

[hmvman]

There's a version I wasn't aware of that interests me - Peter Seymour's Yorkshire Bach Choir performance.

I know nepotism is rife in the musical world, but in this case it may be justified. His daughter, Bethany Seymour, is an outstanding singer. I played the oboe in one of her Bach performances, and she's a superb musician. I must investigate this set.

They (including Bethany) are performing it in York on March 18th, EA: http://www.yorkshirebachchoir.org.uk/c4.shtml

[Bryn]

Baroque trumpets are of course very much less loud than modern ones!

The Mortensen recording sounds very attractive. I can't wait to hear it all through.

Perhaps EA was thinking more of Baroque and Roll trumpet:

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

They (including Bethany) are performing it in York on March 18th, EA: http://www.yorkshirebachchoir.org.uk/c4.shtml

Brilliant! Thanks!

That should be better than any recording