Customer Reviews

Bach: Mass in B minor

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Gardiner has recently gone out of favor among some followers of period instrument bands, maybe because of his famous tyrannical temperament. More than a few critics were happy when the recording project of his laudable Bach Cantata Pilgrimage was cut by DG. That's ok. But the fact is, more than a decade later, Gardiner's recordings of Bach's major sacred works are still at the top of the pile, and the Mass in B minor may be the most evident example.

Despite some nice later recordings, particularly Hickox's and Herreweghe's, Gardiner's still stands out as the more passionately committed one. Being a predominantly choral work, the Mass in B minor benefits immensely from the extraordinary singing of Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir. And Gardiner's option of using solo voices in some choral parts, as in the first Kyrie, the Et in terra pax and the Crucifixus, add a more intimate dimension which nicely contrasts with the more extrovert passages, where Gardiner shines as usual, with brilliant trumpets and fervourous singing.

Of course, the Mass has also some extraordinary solo pieces, and Gardiner's soloists excel, as the playing of the English Baroque Soloists does. But it's the choirs that really make the difference. And here Gardiner's control of dynamics, rhythm and articulation is unsurpassed. He can draw the most vibrant singing from his choir without making it sound forced, without losing textural clarity.

I tried to look for other recordings of this masterpiece. Harnoncourt disappointed, Brüggen was only ok, Parrott was intriguing, Hickox was excelent, Herreweghe was a joy. But I always find myself going back to the same Gardiner recording over and over again.

The Choral singing is stunning and glorious, unfortunately the soloists are not at the same level (sometimes unbelievably the quality is without real feeling or technical perfection or good tone color, in the soloist parts). The overall feeling of this recording is one of icy silvery clarity without intimate warmth and sometimes almost amateurish solo singing. Buy it for the choral singing with period instruments.
The situation concerning the existing recordings of Bach's B Minor Mass is according to me as follows:
Gardiner (ARCHIV): Period instruments version: Choral singing glorious and stunning soloists of much lesser quality and overall feeling very icy and cold.
Herreweghe (HARMONIA MUNDI): Period instrument version. Choral singing is sometimes weak and without great emotional envolvement. Solo singing often of exceptional intense feeling, especially the duet 'Et in unum dominum' (Zomer /Scholl) and the Agnes Dei (Scholl). Often bright brisk tempi,counterpuntal lines clearly demarcated although the back and forth dynamics between the counterpuntal lines it not well done. The overall feeling of this recording is of a warm meditative almost monastic medieval quality, which is not appropriate in my opinion to this great late Baroque work, but which is all the same very pleasing and beautiful and will put you in a state of contemplative rest,an example of how great this Bach work is that it can support so many various interpretations. Buy it for the solo singing.
Klemperer (EMI): Modern instruments. Very slow tempi, often grave and oftentimes too solemn, interpretated as a liturgical work, that is as a mass, which it really is not. (The work as a whole was never labeled as a Mass by Bach, only the earlier Kyrie and Gloria parts were.) The title Mass is a later 19th century publisher's addition since he saw that it was written to the words of the mass. This work is more like a sacred opera, a glorious final statement by Bach praising God and a synthesis of his whole life and of the many perceding periods of musical history. Janet Baker is excellent especially in the Agnes Dei, also the Benedictus is splendid. Buy it if you want a liturgical prayerful intrepretation
Jochum (EMI): Modern instruments.Choral singing splendid at or above the level of the Gardiner recording, all soloists are of exceptional quality, and sing with great warmth and feeling. There are moments when it makes your spine tingle. Performed by a man of great Christian faith and it shows in this interpretation. All things considered it is the best version available, if you can overlook the slightly fussy feeling (but ever so slightly) that the modern instruments create. Buy it if you want one almost perfect modern instrument version.
Rilling (HANNSLER): Modern instruments. It's a toss up between the Jochim version and this splendid version, which one to consider the best. Here the advantage over the Jochum version is that although it's a modern instrument version it is performed by a Bach expert who well knows the differences between a modern instrument version and a period performance and the instuments sound very much like period instruments at the right moments, at musically graphic points and like modern ones at the moments which require fuller tone color(how he did it I really don't know) The solists are a slight notch down compared with the Jochim version. The overall sound is clearer and more transparent than the Jochim version. Buy it if you want one almost perfect modern/period version, with minor flaws in the solo singing.
The Bach B minor Mass is probably the greatest work of music ever written by one of the greatest musicians of Western music and therefore no one version can do this masterpiece justice. It is extremely complex and difficult chorally and architecturally. Here however is on a Scale of 1 to 10 how I would rate the situation:
Jochum 9.7
Rilling 9.6
Herreweghe 9.2
Gardiner 9.0
Klemperer 8.8

I love this piece of music, so I decided to buy this CD, my second version of the Bach mass. I am not sorry I bought it, but like others have said, I am beginning to think that there is no "perfect" recording of this masterpiece. There are beautiful aspects to this recording: crystal clear sound quality, crisp but lush strings, lively tempos. The energy behind "Cum Sancto" and "Gloria in Excelcis" is nothing short of breathtaking. But... there is missing pathos in the first Kyrie. The "Christe" is not plaintive enough. I guess no recording will ever do justice to Bach's incredible accomplishment. His achievement is as much in the mind as it is in the sound of the performers. If you don't own a recording of the Bach Bm, by God buy one right away! This one or any other! But if you are trying to decide which one to buy, this one is good for lovers of clear sound, energy, and vitality. More melancholic, introspective, and angst-filled listeners should turn to other recordings.

I own three different versions of Bach's "Mass in B Minor," and have listened to several others. This is without doubt the best version of this sacred masterpiece I've ever heard! The English Baroque Soloists, under the direction of John Eliot Gardiner, play brilliantly on period instruments, and The Monteverdi Choir and vocal soloists sing with tremendous warmth, freshness and vitality. The sound quality, as is usual for the Deutsche Grammophon label, is outstanding.

Perhaps this version's strongest attribute is the wonderful spiritual quality with which it is played and sung, a reverence for the sacred which shines through in every measure. It makes this CD set a very special listening experience for me, and I'm sure it will do the same for any lover of Bach's music.

This is a fine performance.
For many people their favorite Mass in B.
For me the least favorite of the recordings I own.

The choir and orchestra are excellent, the solo singers are great, but I don't like Gardiner's conducting that much.
The music moves in rhythmic measured blocks and has a somewhat English character...I don't know other way to descripe it, but Handel would fare well with it.

The choir often sings staccato where legato or at least less measured and clipped singing is requiered, therefore it sounds too earthy at times
Gardiner's tempo choices are somewhat odd, for instance the aria Laudames te is way too quick and again wih a rhythmic measured base, it is not difficult to imagine a remix by a dj who adds a beat under the music...Gardiner sounds just like that.

The recording is good and spacious but with little substance, the sound is too distant and small, with very little timbre and texture.
It reminds me of the Christophers with the Sixteen recording, although that one is even worse, you can crank up the volume with no effect, it remains small...and the sound becomes harsh.
But Christopher's reading is much better than Gardiner's, if the sound was somewhat bigger and with more substance that one would maybe one of my favorites

For now Herreweghe's first recording is still my favorite, it has warmth, intimacy and personality and the polish of the choir which is a little timid at times gives it a divine, mystical quality.
Gardiner is more extrovert but also more objective, it seems he lacks Herreweghe's spiritual involvement.

Another "winner" would be Fasolis' recording, not as "sacred" as Herreweghes, but very sincere...(ahum, I don't no other way to put it, ofcourse Gardiner is sincere too)
Excellent recording and with more atmosphere and intimacy than Gardiner and Christophers (but in Christophers case the recording is to blame).

Still regardless my reservations towards Gardiner's approach his performance is superb in every sense and Gardiner's way is legitimate.
Not my cup of tea, but interesting nonetheless.
3 stars

The name of Sir John Eliot Gardiner, relatively unknown until the 1980's, has entered a practically household status with music lovers after his milestone recording of Claudio Monteverdi's "Vespro della beata vergine" (otherwise known as the 1610 Vespers). Since then, Gardiner has established himself as an early music scholar of great renown, producing a multitude of recordings of early, Classical, and Romantic masterworks -- some better than others, many would argue. With his recording of the Mass in B Minor (BWV 232) by Johann Sebastian Bach, the tradition of Gardiner's musical excellence continues, though not in the vein some connoisseurs of Baroque music would expect.

First and foremost, it is absolutely necessary to mention that no matter how good it is, this recording is outdated. This is not meant as a value judgement against the recording; it is simply the statement of a fact. Bach scholarship has advanced significantly in the last ten to fifteen years, and conductors such as Andrew Parrott have made great strides in discovering new facts about Bach's works, as well as new ways to perform them (for instance, instead of a mixed choir of over sixteen individuals, Bach apparently utilized only four). So, in that respect, this recording most definitely shows its age, and will not live up to the musicological expectations of most of today's Bach scholars.

It is also imperative, however, that you ask yourself as a potential purchaser of this recording: "What is more important to me? Musicological accuracy and an obsessive adherence to minutia, or beautiful music-making?" If you are an individual who favors the latter parameter more, you will find plenty to enjoy in this recording. Not only does Gardiner revitalize the piece proper, he also infuses it with the kind of spark and "joie de vivre" that so frequently lacks from other interpretations of this piece. Under Gardiner's baton, the music showcases a varied spectrum of emotions, from the noble exultation of the "Gloria in excelsis" to the agonizing despair of the "Crucifixus", with the orchestra and choir responding to the score not only as musicians, but -- perhaps more importantly -- as listeners. The soloists put their best foot forward in this recording, and are exceptionally well-coached, both as solitary singers and small enseble singers (the first "Kyrie" and the subsequent "Christe Eleison" provide ample evidence of this), and the overall integration and balance of the sound is superb.

To this end, the recording's overall sound quality cannot be overlooked, as it is by far one of the cleanest performances committed to CD. Every syllable of every word, every note on each instrument can be heard, and this recording will truly shine on a better-than-average stereo system. A true enjoyment of the music can be derived from hearing it both performed and recorded this well.

The recording, however, is not without its musical problems. Issues of musicological accuracy aside, the recording does suffer from a few rough spots. I found a few of the tempi to be objectionable -- the "Credo," in my opinion dragged too much, while the final "Dona Nobis Pacem" was moving ahead too fast, without giving the listener a chance to fully enjoy the sonority. On at least three occasions, I found that the orchestra was too quiet, leaving the singers exposed, while at other times, it unmercifully cut through the chorus, completely burying them in noise. Both of these extremes can be observed in the "Et Resurrexit," which is, usually very easy to overplay or undersing, due to its tremendous technical requirements. Lastly, while I'm generally not opposed to the utilisation of countertenors in Baroque music (it is accurate, after all), the timbre of Michael Chance's voice did not sit well with me within the parameters of this piece. A few other glitches exist, but they are so insignificant that they are prectically not worth mentioning.

Overall, the extent of any listener's affinity for this recording boils down to how willing he or she is to enjoy this piece strictly for what it is. There are many fine recordings out there which possess a greater degree of musicological consistency and accuracy than Gardiner's (for instance, Andrew Parrott's rendition - Emi Records [All429] - #561998), but Gardiner managed to create such an iridescent halo around Bach's masterpiece that few casual listeners will remained untouched by its pulchritude. Overall, a highly recommended purchase.

Years ago, I read an article about how some tourists visiting the great museums of Europe have been known to swoon and faint as a result of being overwhelmed with so much beauty in such a short amount of time. We are so used to ugliness that it seems that some individuals have been overcome by the beauty they find in Florence, Rome, Paris, etc. Bach's Mass in B Minor never made me swoon, but it did have an immense impact when I first heard it many years ago. This is some of the most beautiful, profoundly moving, mesmerizing, sensually overwhelming music ever written. The orchestra and choir slowly wings the listener to heaven with a sea of brilliant harmony and sound. This is truly glorious music and it would be impossible to praise this music enough when it is easily one of the 10 or 20 greatest pieces of music ever written. This is an excellent performance, one of the best I have heard.

Although I've been listening to Bach's choral works all my life, I am relatively a newcomer to Gardiner's B-Minor mass. Upon first listening it has become one of my favorite recordings of Bach's Great Catholic Mass next to Andrew Parrot's and Phillipe Herreweghe's.

Gardiner's reading is much different than that of Herreweghe's. It seems to be impossible to record the "perfect" B-Minor Mass, and by all means, neither have achieved it- although both have come close. What is readily noticable is that Herrweghe's recording is more pious and introverted, while Gardiner's is very extroverted.

I was pleased to see that Gardiner chose to scale down his choir to a smaller force. Recorded in 1985, it was released during a time shortly after Rifkin gave his infamous lecture on performing Bach's concerted choral works using one voice per part. While the liner notes of this present recording do not seem to praise such an approach, Gardiner uses the One Voice Per Part principle in several numbers. What a surprise! This is a very "different" BWV 232. For example, "Et in terra pax" is performed only with soloists in the beginning, while the choir (or concertists) enter one by one (just as the concertists enter one by one in the famous Cantata No. 21) This helps the recording build dramatic intensity. The "Crucifixus" is also appropriately performed OVPP.

Each soloist was very good, but I did not find myself particularly blown away. The orchestral playing was expressive and joyful, although the trumpets seemed to blare at times.

To compare the Herreweghe recording to this one may be impossible since they are so different. While Herreweghe seemed to focus of bringing the B-Minor Mass back to its rightful place the church (and his choice of top soloists to match), Gardiner still presents BWV 232 with irresistable freshness and bombast.

This is a recording I will want to return to often.

It's easy to fall into hyperboles when describing this recording. When I bought it, the cashier said "I approve highly of this purchase. It's the only version I allow customers to buy." Another employee came up to the counter and said "this is the most perfect recording of anything I know of." The piece itself has also been the subject of overstatement. In the CD's booklet a nineteenth century Swiss critic is quoted as saying that Bach's Mass in B minor is the "greatest work of music of all ages and of all peoples." Though all of these quotes are exaggerations, they're not ridiculous positions to hold. Bach's mass is an amazing work that does not let up for almost two hours. This recording compliments the work to a degree not typical on classical recordings. It's an amazing performance with an unbelievably high quality. After hearing this piece and the St. Matthew Passion I now know why some have said "it all started with Bach." I also know I'll be buying more CDs from the Archiv label.

The Cd booklet raises such questions as "why did Bach write this piece?" and "was it ever performed complete during his lifetime?" It also gives a good history of the composition and performance of the mass. It's by no means comprehensive, but it gives a good general background for the work.

The music is beyond words. I convinced myself to buy it after hearing just a few audio samples of the Kyrie and the Sanctus. It didn't take much. The work is a cathedral in itself. Nonetheless, you don't have to be a catholic or even a christian to appreciate the music on these disks, but were I trying to convert someone I'd probably have them listen to this to get 'em in the mood.

Among authentic performances there can be little doubt this is the benchmark recording. Gardiner coaxes amazing sound from the forces and the soloists and choir are on top form. But he also doesn't miss the mystery in the piece. Gardiner is much more successful in this genre than in his attempts to "authenticate" classical and romantic period composers. He is at home in baroque.