Bach - Weihnachtsoratorium / Harnoncourt

Johann Sebastian Bach (Conductor), Nikolaus Harnoncourt (Performer), Elizabeth Bainbridge (Performer), Margaret Cable (Performer), Ursula Connors (Performer), Joanne Brown (Performer), Doreen Cryer (Performer), Amy Gunson (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Performer: Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Elizabeth Bainbridge, Margaret Cable, Ursula Connors, Joanne Brown, et al.
• Conductor: Johann Sebastian Bach
• Audio CD (March 9, 1993)
• SPARS Code: ADD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Elektra / Wea
• ASIN: B000000SIC
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #134,154 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 1. Coro: 'Jauchzet, frohlocket'

2. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 2. Evangelista (Tenore): 'Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit'

3. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 3. Accompagnato (Alto): 'Nun wird mein liebster Brautigam'

4. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 4. Aria (Alto): 'Bereite dich, Zion'

5. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 5. Choral: 'Wie soll ich dich empfangen'

6. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 6. Evangelista: 'Und sie gebar'

7. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 7. Choral - Recitativo (Soprano, Basso): 'Er ist auf Erden kommen arm'

8. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 8. Aria (Basso): 'Grosser Herr, o starker Konig'

9. Christmas Oratorio: 1. Teil Am 1. Weihnachtstage: 9. Choral: 'Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein'

10. Christmas Oratorio: 2. Teil Am 2. Weihnachtstage: 1. Sinfonia

See all 32 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Christmas Oratorio: 3. Teil Am 3. Weihnachtstage: 11. Evangelista: 'Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um'

2. Christmas Oratorio: 3. Teil Am 3. Weihnachtstage: 12 Choral: 'Seid froh dieweil'

3. Christmas Oratorio: 3. Teil Am 3. Weihnachtstage: 13. Coro: 'Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen'

4. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 1. Chorus: 'Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben'

5. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 2. Evangelista (Tenore): 'Und da acht Tage um waren'

6. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 3. Recitativo con Chorale (Soprano, Basso): 'Immanuel, o susses Wort!'

7. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 4. Aria (Soprana, Echo): 'Flosst mein Heiland'

8. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 5. Recitativo con Chorale (Soprano, Basso): 'Wohlan, dein Name soll allein'

9. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 6. Aria (Tenore): 'Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben'

10. Christmas Oratorio: 4. Teil Am Neujahrstage: 7. Chorale: 'Jesus richte mein Beginnen'

See all 32 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic choral music at its zenith, November 3, 2010

By 

Andrew R. Barnard (Leola, Pa United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bach - Weihnachtsoratorium / Harnoncourt (Audio CD)

Sometimes authentic performances can sound a bit stodgy, as if though the performers are so worried about maintaining period accuracy that they miss the real love behind the music. But Harnoncourt simply refuses to be put in that box. He succeeds in using his authentic orchestra to reveal a sort of intimacy that, to be honest, you don't get on modern instruments. And his soloists seem to catch onto his vision in a wonderful way; prepare for some truly heartfelt singing. Some of the arias in the oratorio feature only a couple instruments accompanying the soloist and those moments are captured with ravishing beauty. Harnoncourt himself plays that cello, and, oh, what rich sounds he can pull out of his instrument!

One thing that makes this recording particularly authentic is the fact that all the singers,both the choir and soloists, are male. Paul Esswood is as good of a male alto as you could possibly want. And it's boys from the Vienna Boys' Choir that take the Soprano solos. As a matter of fact, the choir in this recording is a combination of the Chorus Viennensis and the Vienna Boys' Choir. Needless to say, we're in for a treat there as well.

Buy this CD, even if you have to buy it used. You will never regret it.