Another real music gem from the Kings College Cambridge Cata
Dan Fee | Berkeley, CA USA | 11/22/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Fans of the great, distinguished British choral tradition can rejoice at this re-release of an older EMI recording at even less expensive prices. Here we get Sir Philip Ledger leading the Academy of Saint Martin in the Fields, with Kings College Cambridge, plus four outstanding oratorio soloists. The soprano is justly renowned Dutch singer, Elly Ameling. The mezzo/alto is the entirely regal Dame Janet Baker. Tenor Robert Tear has earned his chops in oratorio, to say the least about his EMI history. Rounding off the quartet is perhaps the greatest baritone of the past century, German Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Now welcome this release to the existing line of grand, elegant Kings College Cambridge performances which are available again. Add Haydn's Creation (sung in English), and Handel's Messiah (also sung in English - In that Messiah, the soprano arias are taken by the choir trebles who sing everything superbly, in unison !!!!!). The Creation has Heather Harper, John Shirley-Quirk, and Robert Tear for soloists. Amazingly, given that the choir is a college chapel choir, the choral singing in all three recordings is well nigh impeccable.
One of the really nice things about music in this holiday season must be the continuing fact that we are suffering an embarrassment of musical riches when it comes to available recordings of this oratorio. One can find very nice big band versions, even if the approach to HIP Baroque style is distinctly old-fashioned. Search for Flamig (Arleen Auger), Jochum (Ameling), Peter Schreier (Helen Donath). One can find reduced musical forces, varying in style and technique from old-fashioned to influenced-updated via historical instrument practices, albeit on modern instruments. Search for Karl Munchinger, Karl Richter, Helmuth Rilling, Greg Funfgeld in Pennsylvania's Bethlehem Bach Festival, and this one with Philip Ledger. One can find brilliant and rewarding original instrument versions, quite a few in fact. Search for Rene Jacobs, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Ton Koopman, Maasaki Suzuki, Ralf Otto, Jos van Veldhoven with Netherlands Bach Society, Philippe Herreweghe, Gerhard Schmidt-Gaden, Julian Wachner.
Given such a large catalog, one risks letting this particular release get lost in the many choices that go blurry all together in a flurry of these crowded options. But that would really be a pity. Among the wonders of this set are Sir Philip Ledger's utterly congenial naturalness as a leader. He has no extremes or oddities of tempo to carry him off into the north forty ditches, too slow or too brisk. He has no inflated musical ego to make him want to make the event his own advertisement billboard. He consistently shapes clear musical textures where sonority balances with energy and breathing polyphony. The chapel choir from Cambridge is sure-footed and easeful beyond all their calendar years, as if we could find absolutely nothing amazing about such high musical excellence - except that maybe the music always shine through, illuminating. The soloists are so very fine that few would disagree with having them along for the whole ride through all six cantatas.
The sum of all these talents is greater than sheer mechanical addition predicts.
I can enjoy the others, too. But this one will probably never wear out, or wear thin. And just in time for our winter festivals, no matter how you choose to celebrate."
A voice teacher and early music fan
George Peabody | Planet Earth | 01/11/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"RENDITION PAR-EXCELLENCE FROM THE KING'S COLLEGE CHOIR WITH FOUR MUSICAL LEGENDS AS SOLOISTS!
J.S. Bach (1685-1750) created his Christmas Oratorio during 1734 for performance in church over the ensuing Christmas period. It consists of six cantatas which between them tell the story of the Nativity, and the events of the following week or so.
Although the six cantatas are designed to be performed on separate days from Christmas Day to Epiphany, it does not necessarily follow that they are unconnected. Bach must have composed the work continuously and there are many, sometimes obvious, sometimes subtle connections between the separate parts. And there is, of course, the obvious connection in the Evangelist's narrative, which is based on the gospel readings of the season.
This 1976 version by the King's College Choir is performed on modern instruments, and therefore the orchestral sound is quite rich as compared to period ensembles. The playing is quite stylish, especially in the obligato instruments such as the trumpet played smoothly by Michael Laird and the fine violin playing by Iona Brown. These individual names I only can give because of an older cassette tape of this performance; the notes accompanying this CD are sparse giving only the actual performance outline and a very brief comment on it.
Where this performance can claim authenticity is through the use of the all-male King's College Choir, those trebles(boy sopranos)bring a nice cutting edge to the top line. One must remember that this choir has much experience in the singing of Bach's music, and it shows! Prior to this recording this groups has contributed in the past to several volumes of the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt cycle of the cantatas(many of which I have, and glorious they are). From the very first entrance of the choir, it displays conviction and bite, communicating to the listener the jubilation of Bach. By the same token the chior delivers a quietness and lightness of sound to the "Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem" in cantata 3. Their entire performance has this joyous stamp of Bach's nature, who a man in spite of all the sorrows of his life, was still able to write music that glows,glistens and sparkles with his genius.
The positive above comments about the choir must also include a really outstanding and somewhat legendary group of soloists: soprano, Elly Ameling, alto Janet Baker, tenor,Robert Tear and bass, Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau. Although the tenor voice of Tear seems to me somewhat rough at times, he sings his arias with great strength and vigor. I was really impressed by his rendering of the Aria in Cantata 4 "Ich will nur dur zu ehren leben", a very demanding aria which he negotiaties with clarity. Janet Baker positvely shines vocally in her alto arias (Bach gifted the alto and the tenor voices with great 'stuff' in ths oratorio)especially in the opening aria "Bereite dich Zion". Fischer-Dieskau brilliantly sang his arias conveying a magisterial mood to "Groser Herr, o starker Konig" cantata 1.
This performance by Ledger's 1976 King's College choir is tremendously exciting and energizing. Aside from the fact that the singing is first-rate: boy sopranos with clear crystalline tone quality soaring up into the stratisphere effortlessly, mellow male altos with a lushness that pleases the ear, tuneful tenors with a vibrancy of sound and basses who don't 'rumble' but maintain a lightness not always found in their voice part. Compared to other performances of this Oratorio, I have to say that Gardiner has the edge when it comes to tempos. I feel that Ledger was a bit slow in some of the choruses, and the dynamics were not as pronounced as they were in Gardiner's, Pickett's or Herreweghes(which is my personal favoite).
The recording sound is excellent; King's College Chapel has a great natural reverberation and overall acoustic that has proved it very friendly to the King's College Choirs of the past, and this is no exception. This oratorio contains some of the most life-enhancing music that Bach wrote for within it he show us the 'true undistilled' spirit of Christmas.
So do your thing, whatever that may be, but to my mind this is a collectible, rereleased or not!"
Track Listings (33) - Disc #1
