St. John Passion Bwv 245 [Import]

J.S. Bach (Artist), Crook (Artist), Lika (Artist), Kooy (Artist), Herreweghe (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 16, 1999)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: Harmonia Mundi Fr.
• ASIN: B00002R10V
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #563,306 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Herr, unser Herrscher'

2. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Jesus ging mit seinen Jüngen über den Bach Kidron'

3. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Ogroße Lieb, o Lieb ohn' alle maße'

4. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Auf daß das Wort erfüllet würde'

5. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott, zugleich'

6. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann und die Diener der Jüden nahmen Jesum'

7. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Von den stricken meiner Sünden mich zu entbinden'

8. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesu nach'

9. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Ich folge dir gleichfalls mit freudigen Schritten'

10. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Derselbige Jünger war dem Hohinpriester'

See all 20 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Und die Kriegsknechte flochten eine Krone von Dornen'

2. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Durch dein Gefängnis, Gottes Sohn'

3. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Die Jüden aber schrieen und sprachen'

4. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Eilt ihr angefochtenen Seelen- Wohin?'

5. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Allda kreuzigten sie ihn'

6. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'In Meines Herzens Grunde'

7. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Die Kriegsknechte aber, da sie Jesum gekreuziget hatten'

8. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Auf daß erfüllet würde die schrift'

9. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Er nahm alles wohl in acht'

10. St. John Passion (Johannespassion), BWV 245 (BC D2): 'Und von Stund an nahm sie der Jünger zu sich'

See all 19 tracks on this disc

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Discreet But Undeniably Powerful, September 8, 2000

By 

Alexander Milner (Cambridge, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

This review is from: St. John Passion Bwv 245 (Audio CD)

Those who enjoy Philippe Herreweghe's polished approach to Bach performance will find much to delight the ear on this recording of a seminal religious masterpiece. The vocal technique displayed is always assured, with an excellent team of soloists led by Howard Crook, particularly impressive in the demanding role of the Evangelist. Rarely, for example, has the tragic scene of Peter's denial of Jesus been recorded with such intensity. Peter Kooy and William Kendall also deserve special praise for their even-toned and deeply moving bass and tenor arias respectively.

The choir, Collegium Vocale of Ghent, does not quite possess the brilliant panache of John Eliot Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir, but they sing with energy and commitment, and considerable responsiveness to the nuances of the text. The period-instrument orchestra produces a marvellous range of sonorities to match any baroque ensemble on disc, from the arrestingly poignant opening movement to to the jubilant exclamation of triumph in the alto aria 'Es ist vollbracht'. Whether the two alto arias are better sung by a male or a female singer is a question of taste. Barbara Schlick makes a pleasing mellow sound on this recording, although my own preferred singer in these arias is the countertenor Michael Chance, who performs with both the Monteverdi Choir and the Choir of King's College, Cambridge, with conductor Stephen Cleobury. (This latter recording of course also uses an all-male choir, with considerable success, and is also highly recommendable.)

The St John Passion is a tautly dramatic work, and Philippe Herreweghe is a most intelligent and persuasive interpreter, heightening the sense of catastrophe subtly but powerfully, up to the dreadful moment of the crucifixion. Through conducting the work myself I have learned how many and how difficult are the challenges concerning the selection of tempi and the overall pacing of the drama. Herreweghe's speeds are always finely judged, capable of conveying the prevailing emotion with great force, whether it be malice (as in the aggressive crowd scenes), greedy excitement (as when the soldiers cast lots for Christ's clothing) or sorrowful meditation, as in many of the arias and the closing chorus. They are never so fast as to sound rushed, thereby risking detracting from the expressive capabilities of the performers (a trap into which Gardiner unfortunately falls on occasion), nor so slow as to lose momentum and interfere with the pacing of the work as a whole.

In short, this recording is to be admired immensely, for the impressive contributions of all its performers, compelling sense of drama and above all for the unfailingly shrewd direction of Herreweghe himself. Indeed, so skilful is his touch that the listener is hardly aware of the presence of any controlling personality at all other than that of Bach himself: is this not the highest praise one can give to a conductor of such music?