Very good budget priced recording of JSB Christmas Oratorio
Dan Fee | Berkeley, CA USA | 11/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If your budget is tight, and you really cannot afford a front-runner of a performance, such as the incredible sacd set by the Netherlands Bach Society under the leadership of Jos van Veldhoven; this is a happy alternative. It is well-played and well sung by all concerned. Although the instruments are modern, not gut strings and so forth, the phrasing and tempos are still knowingly informed by current research on period performance practices, without degenerating into the formal coolness that can arise from some followers of such research. The release of this set at a lower price actually seems to represent one of the best budget alternatives, except for a Naxos set which is good, too; but still slightly eclipsed by this set. In comparison, the Naxos is recorded in a rather reverberant setting, which this Hanssler set has clearer, cleaner sound. The soloists in this set are also slightly more distinguished than those in the Naxos set. The oratorio is actually a series of six independent Christmas cantatas, which together add up to more than the simple sum of their lovely parts. This performance manages to charm, delight, and tell the familiar religious story, which allows even a quite secular listener to tap into that pool of wonder which must still accompany the births of our children. Welcome to all, here. Highly recommended, even if you have other versions."
A Good Recording
A. Craig | Grand Junction,CO | 11/07/2003
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This recording of Bach's Christmas Oratorio is an early digitalone from Hanssler Classics it has been reissued in their Masterpiece Collection series. The libretto and liner notes canbe downloaded from the Hanssler web site. This is one of the better recordings of this work. The soloists aquit themselves quite well, the chorus does well too, and the orchestra does too.This is a modern instrument style performance as opposed to theGardiner, EBS, MC recording on Archiv. I have no trouble recommending it at all."
Track Listings (23) - Disc #1