Beautiful, dramatic, and introspective
Derek Lee | St. Paul, MN USA | 01/25/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's fascinating to me just how much vitriol there is in the classical music community. The performance of the great classics seems to be an almost life and death situation. There are many for whom there is only one right way to perform a work, their way, and anything else is blasphemy. Surely, if one doesn't take anything else from all the music recordings of the past century, the clearest lesson is that great music can be performed effectively in a huge range of styles. No composer benefits more from this than Bach. One of the things that I love about McCreesh's approach, as distinguished from many others in the HIP movement, is his open-mindedness. He doesn't see any need to denigrate other approaches, or to say that Bach's own style of performance is the only valid way of interpreting his works. Historical research simply suggests possibilities of performance, which musicians are free to accept or reject based on their own tastes. Performances or recordings should be judged on their ability to move the listener, and nothing else.
Many reviewers for this album are apparently left cold by it, and certainly that is their right, which I am in no position to contradict. However, what I suspect from the tone of many such reviews is that they are mentally comparing this recording to their personal favorite, and noting differences as flaws. The most common objections are the tempo choices, especially in the opening chorus (which is taken faster than the norm), and the lightness of texture, due in large part to the OVPP approach. From a historical point of view, it seems to me McCreesh is entirely justified in the tempo he takes for the opening chorus. The meter, articulation and texture of the music all suggest the gigue style of fluent eighth notes and vigorously accented beats. One of the most common objections to this is that the subject matter is very serious, and a somewhat lively tempo lightens it. I disagree with this; from the perspective of a keyboardist, the gigue from Bach's a minor partita is certainly very grave and dramatic, even though it is fairly quick (often performed too quickly in fact). That is exactly the impression this recording gives: grave and more overtly dramatic than usual, which I feel fits the words just fine.
Some object to the choice of one voice per part, in particular, that the texture is too light and undifferentiated. There are moments of intimacy (just listen to the Erbarme dich, the best version I know of), but there are also moments of great drama and power (the choral interruptions in So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen for example). This is no different than any other fine version of the SMP.
If you love the SMP, this is definitely worth a listen. I know I'll cherish it."
So many Reviews! So much Conviction!
Giordano Bruno | Wherever I am, I am. | 11/16/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I'll make my comments brief and enigmatic:
The choruses and chorales are excellently sung and brilliantly interpreted.
The soloists are a painfully mixed bag.
The second statement is odd, considering that the choruses are sung by the same soloists."
