Bach’s celebration of Easter is a mostly joyous one, opening with a three-movement sinfonia, richly orchestrated, and complete with trumpets and drums: the third movement includes the chorus inviting listeners to rejoice and hasten to the tomb of Jesus, “For our Savior has awakened.” There follow recitatives and arias for Mary Magdalen, Mary, the mother of James, Peter, and John. Each character goes through grief to love and gratefulness, and Bach’s endlessly inventive scoring, melodic lines, and changing orchestral textures take us on a rich, 40-minute musical journey to peace. Only a too-long soprano aria tends to wear. The Oratorio is coupled on this CD with Bach’s justly famous 12-movement setting (in 25 minutes) of the Magnificat text from Luke. Also elaborately scored, with the vocal choices, tempos, and mood changing every couple of minutes, this is one of the great works of Western liturgical music (Gardiner’s masterly reading of this work is a must-have). The performances, on Baroque instruments and with crisp, clean, unsentimental Baroque style, are exemplary. Rejoice! (by Robert Levine)
1723-25 were powerful, productive years for Bach in Leipzig as Kantor. In 1723-24 Christmas, comes this Magnificat. Especially attractive to me is track 14, “Aria” “Quia respexit humilitatem” which is a powerful soprano and oboe movement aided by the full chorus piping in “To all Generations!”
The Easter Oratorio was a gift for an honorarium by Duke Christian composed around four aria recitatives for Mary Magdelene, Mary, John and Peter. The opening Sinfonia is breathtaking with its gracious oboe work by Marcel Ponseele.
Building to the heights of the finale, “Praise and Thanks” ends in triumphant declaration by full choir “The Lion of Judah approaches in triumph!”
Strong vocalist performances by soprano Lisa Larsson and bass Klaus Mertens. Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Chorus directed by Ton Koopman is well done with passion and pace.
With translation in French, German and English, this is excellent performance of important Sacred Large-Scale Composition for soloists, choir and orchestra. (by rodboomboom)
This recording is full of energy and joy. The period instruments sound so wonderful and lush. It was recorded in just the right environment and sounds superb.
The approach to both pieces is spot on and you will want to listen to this recording many times just for the sheer fun of it.
The provided booklet provides some helpful notes on the background of the pieces – when and why Bach wrote them. And also the libretto (which is ALWAYS nice to have). I like to have all that information available and knowing when and why can deepen our appreciation of the music. However, the first and most important thing is to hear the music.
This recording is among the best of these works. So, you would do well to begin here! (by Craig Matteson)
Antonius Gerhardus Michael (Ton) Koopman (born 2 October 1944) is a Dutch conductor, organist and harpsichordist. He is also professor at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague. In April 2003 he was knighted in the Netherlands, receiving the Order of the Netherlands Lion.
Koopman had a “classical education” and then studied the organ (with Simon C. Jansen), harpsichord (with Gustav Leonhardt), and musicology in Amsterdam. He specialized in Baroque music and received the Prix d’Excellence for both organ and harpsichord.
Koopman founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra in 1979 and the Amsterdam Baroque Choir in 1992, now combined as the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir. Koopman concentrates on Baroque music, especially that of Bach and is a leading figure in the “authentic performance” movement. While a number of early-music conductors have ventured into newer music, Koopman has not. He has said, “I draw the line at Mozart’s death” (1791). One exception is his recording of the Concert Champêtre of Francis Poulenc, written in 1928.
Personnel:
Bogna Bartosz (Alto on 12. – 23.)
Lisa Larsson (Soprano)
Elisabeth von Magnus (Alto on 01. – 11.)
Klaus Mertens (Bass)
Gerd Türk (Tenor)
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soprano vocals:
Annemieke Rademaker – Caroline Stam – Francine van der Heijden – Henriette Feith – Johannette Zomer – Loes Groot Antink – Maria-Luz Alvarez – Mariette Bastiaansen – Vera Lansink
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tenor vocals :
Geraint Roberts – Henk Gunneman – Jeremy Ovenden – Joost Van Der Linden – Otto Bouwknegt
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Margreet Bongers (bassoon)
Margaret Faultless (solo violin)
Wilbert Hazelzet (solo flute)
Stephen Keavy (solo trumpet)
Jan Kleinbussink (organ)
Jaap ter Linden (solo cello)
Luuk Nagtegaal (timpani)
Nicholas Pap (bass)
Marcel Ponseele (solo oboe d´amore)
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Alto vocals:
Annemieke Cantor – Hugo Naessens – Martine Straesser* – Peter De Groot – Stephen Carter
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Bass vocals:
Donald Bentvelsen – Hans Wijers – Matthijs Mesdag – Mitchell Sandler – René Steur
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violin:
Alida Schat – Carla Marotta – Foskien Kooistra – Marc Cooper – Marshall Marcus – Nicola Cleminson – Tjamke Roelofs
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viola:
Jane Rogers – Martin Kelly
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cello:
Jaap ter Linden – Jonathan Manson
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trumpet:
Jonathan Impett – Robert Vanrijne – Stephen Keavy
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flute:
Marc Hantaï – Marion Moonen – Wilbert Hazelzet
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recorder:
Marion Verbruggen – Reine-Marie Verhagen
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oboe d’amore:
Marcel Ponseele – Michel Henry
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The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra (leader: Margaret Faultless) conducted by Ton Koopman
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The Amsterdam Baroque Choir conducted by Simon Schouten
Tracklist:
Easter Oratorio BWV 249 (41.02):
01. Sinfonia 4.01
02. Adagio 3.16
03. Chorus: “Kommit, Eilet und Laufet” 4.46
04. Recitativo: “O kalter Männer Sinn!” 1.04
05. Aria: “Seele, deine Spezereien” 11.01
06. Recitativo: “Hier Ist Die Gruft” 0:47
07. Aria: “Sanfte soll mein Todeskummer” 6.17
08. Recitativo: “Indessen seufzen wir” 1.05
09. Aria: “Saget, saget mir geschwinde” 5.47
10. Recitativo: “Wir sind erfreut” 0.40
11. Chorus: “Preis nd Dank” 2.20
Magnificat BWV 243 (25:18)
12. Chorus: “Magnificat Anima Mea Dominum” 2.50
13. Aria: “Et Exsultavit Spiritus Meus In Deo” 2.27
14. Aria: “Quia Respexit Humilitatem” 2.23
15. Chorus: “Omnes Generationes” 1.14
16. Aria: “Quia Fecit Mihi Magna Qui Potens Est” 2.07
17. Aria: “Et Misericordia” 3.14
18. Chorus: “Fecit Potentiam In Brachio Suo” 1.49
19. Aria: “Deposuit Potentes De Sede” 2.17
20. Aria: “Esurientes Implevit Bonis” 2.44
21. Chorus: “Suscepit Israel Puerum Summ” 1.22
22. Chorus: “Sicut Locutus Est Ad Patres Nostros” 1.18
23. Chorus: “Gloria Patri, Gloria Filio” 1.47
Music composed by Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 – 28 July 1750)
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