Bach Mass in B minor

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Author: Nicholas Anderson

Bach'southward Mass in B small-scale is already well represented in the current catalogue with performances past Andrew Parrott, John Eliot Gardiner, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Gustav Leonhardt, Joshua Rifkin and others too. Here is a new one from the chorus and orchestra of the Ghent Collegium Vocale nether their director, Philippe Herreweghe. The other version listed to a higher place in the titling is non in fact a new result only a transfer to CD of Harnoncourt'southward second of two recordings, which he fabricated in 1985. I did not enjoy the Harnoncourt when I reviewed the LPs 2 years ago feeling that he had been rather badly let down by the Arnold Schonberg Choir which turned in a dispiriting account both of the Kyrie and Gloria. The soloists, too were disappointing with Kurt Equiluz and Angela Maria Blasi making a far from disarming partnership in the ''Domine Deus''. Harnoncourt himself has chosen some curious tempos notably, perhaps, an unsettlingly ho-hum pace for the opening Kyrie which inappreciably makes whatever touch on whatsoever. Listening at present to the CDs I am once more drawn to the same conclusions: that Harnoncourt was illserved by choir and soloists and that even his usually polished Vienna Concentus Musicus hardly seemed up to their customary high standard of playing, with weak oboe and trumpet playing.
Compared with Harnoncourt'southward subsequently version of the B modest Mass, Herreweghe makes a more favourable impression. His choir are or audio, considerably smaller, with seven sopranos divided into I and 2, iv altos (men and women), v tenors and 5 basses. The sound-quality is pleasing though not in fact enhanced by a close plummy balance. In that location are some fine solo instrumental contributions from the orchestra, too, although in ensemble I sometimes found the attack spongy and at times ragged. In matters of tempo and perhaps, likewise, in his general view of Bach's Mass, Herreweghe comes closer to Leonhardt's approach (EMI Deutsche Harmonia Mundi CDC169541-8, 12/86 nla) than to Parrott (EMI), Gardiner (Archiv Produktion) or the 1968 Harnoncourt version (also Teldec/ASV—transferred to CD and reviewed in 1986). The choruses are weighter than those of Parrott though by no means lacklustre, merely I was dismayed at times by ragged ensemble (the opening of the Ideology), rhythmic unsteadiness (''Confiteor''), and poor intonation (Sanctus). Tempos are moderately judged—safe would be one mode of putting it, yet I very much like Herreweghe'south expansive view of the music. He allows information technology fourth dimension to breathe naturally and allows me fourth dimension for reflection. In brusk, the supreme contemplative element in the music is seldom overlooked. The ''Domine Deus'' duet for soprano and tenor is a particularly good example of Herreweghe's relaxed style. He allows the music to float ethereally with a natural respiratory rhythm, cartoon affecting performances from Barbara Schlick, Howard Crook and Patrick Beuckels (flute). The 2d soprano Catherine Patriasz gives a pleasing functioning of the ''Laudamus te'', though John Holloway in the Parrott recording and Elizabeth Wilcock in the John Eliot Gardiner ane provide more winning violin obbligato accompaniments than that of Fransois Fernandez, whose playing lacks their poise and assurance. Charles Brett is disarming in the ''Qui sedes'' and affecting in the Agnus Dei and the bass, Peter Kooy is fluent and resonant in the ''Quoniam'' and ''Et in Spiritum Sanctum''.
My simply serious reservation about Herreweghe's set concerns the sound of the recording itself. Many readers may not be bothered by the close residual merely to my ears information technology is contrived, lacking the perspective which music on this scale requires. There is no way in which these forces could be gathered into the sort of drawing-room or ante-chamber implied by this audio-visual. There is trivial or no space effectually the music and this has contributed towards a slight muddying of the textures, choral ones in particular. Musically, on the other mitt, Herreweghe's view of the B small-scale Mass is largely convincing.
However, a articulate recommendation of i version over another is somewhat pointless since most of the performances under discussion differ considerably in their aims and priorities. Andrew Parrott's recording remains peak of my own listing on account of the pocket-sized forces, reduced but not 'ad absurdam', allowing for wonderfully transparent textures notwithstanding losing nothing in force. Gardiner's version is impressive in a higher place all for the disciplined often exciting, choral singing and for Michaei Hazard'due south Agnus Dei. Harnoncourt's earlier recording is solitary among these in using male child trebles and altos in the choruses and Leonhardt is impressive for the style in which he conveys a potent sense of unity within the work. But Leonhardt's choir are disappointing and his soloists uneven, Herreweghe scores here with a uniformly potent solo grouping and a considerably abler choir though not equal to Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir or Parrott'southward Taverner Espoused. Best of luck!'

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