I'm looking to buy Bach's B-Minor Mass for Christmas. Can't decide on the best performance. I've heard snippets of Klemperer, Gardiner, Herreweghe, Savall, Richter? Anyone have a recommendation.
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Gardiner all the way, though Parrott's with the Tavener Consort is great too. It depends if you want a more modern performance via authentic instruments - ie one with a lighter feel & bouncier tempos - or the heavyweight interpretations of yore. I do have Richter's as well the two I mentioned, & whilst never my desert island recording, it's very enjoyable. I haven't heard all of those you list - maybe Herreweghe's would be worth sampling.
I have Gardiner for all the major Bach choral works; it's just a fabulous sound-world to be in, & it's virtually impossible not to respond to Gardiner's visions. There are few things more beautiful or enchanting on disc imo than the Laudamus Te of that recording. If being critical I'd say that it would have been better still if the violin solo line had been a touch more prominent, but it's still pure high-echelon magic.
Thanks very much for your recommendation. I will try to listen to more of Gardiner's interpretation. I have heard his performance of Bach Cantata #140 and honestly I found it rather superficial compared to the LP I have of Prohaska and the Bach Guild orchestra.
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Gardiner's is a safe choice, and Herreweghe is solid as well. My favorite if considering both sound and performance is Suzuki. It's sonically glorious, especially if you have multi-channel capabilities. It also has perhaps my favorite current soprano of early music, Carolyn Sampson.
For a non-HIP version, the Karl Richter DVD is probably the one to get.
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Thanks very much. It will be a challenging decision.
“The truly civilized man is marked by empathy” - Malcolm Kerr
No probs Howard. I shall keep an eye out for that Prohaska recording...
shareThe LP I am referring to is BG (Bach Guild) 511. It contains both Cantata #140 and #4 conducted by Felix Prohaska with the Choir and orchestra of the Bach Guild.
I think it may be hard to find but it is worth seeking out.
“The truly civilized man is marked by empathy” - Malcolm Kerr