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Music : J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio · St. Matthew Passion · St. John Passion · Mass in B minor
1 2
Rating: 
- Fabulous music, beautifully performed
The other reviews here show that this is obviously a Marmite set - you either love it or you hate it. Me, I love it I treasure it and play it often. In such circumstances another review may not be of that much help to an undecided prospective purchaser because you can't know in advance whose taste you share, but for what it's worth:
The treasure of this set for me is the B Minor Mass. It has been described as the greatest work of art in any medium ever and while that may be a rather overblown claim it isn't wholly indefensible. Gardiner's interpretation does it proud. It has intensity, intellectual weight, a deep respect for the work and, above all, radiant beauty. I love it. I also have the Andrew Parrott recording (now available very reasonably on Virgin Veritas) and treasure the two equally. I've heard quite a few others which I don't like as much. There isn't a single correct way to do the B Minor Mass and your taste may not coincide with mine, but if you're looking for a really fine recording I don't think you can go wrong with Gardiner (or Parrott, for that matter).
I'm less qualified to compare versions of the other great works in this box as these are the only recordings I own and listen to in detail. Probably the reason for this is that I'm extremely happy with them. I've heard others which I have liked very much, and the Gardiner versions seem to me to stand up with the best of them. The singers in this set are simply fantastic - Nancy Argenta, Anne Sophie von Otter, Barbara Bonney, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Stephen Varcoe to name but a few. The orchestra and chorus sound fresh and involved, and I derive huge pleasure from the whole set.
Gardiner seems to arouse strong passions in some musical breasts - one Amazon reviewer has written scathingly of both his Santiago discs, for example, which I think are sublime. For myself I think he's a great Bach interpreter and nine discs of him directing some of the world's finest music at this price seems to me to be a monumental bargain. I can see that some knowledgeable and passionate music lovers here have grave reservations but I, like the great majority of professional reviewers did, recommend this set wholeheartedly.
Rating:
- Bach without nobility
Believe me - I LOVE a good period instrument performance.
But my introduction to the wonderful, inspiring, deep, soulful and noble choral works of Bach started, unfortunately, with John Eliot Gardiner's brassy and ludicrously overrated recording of the Mass in B Minor.
As a result I went several years thinking I didn't like Bach. Then one day I purchased the recording (also on period intruments) by Thomas Hengelbrock, what a revelation - nobility, depth, poise, beauty. Likewise with the extreme one-voice per part Rifkin recording, and the more traditional Peter Schreier-conducted (Philips), the list goes on, wonderful, wonderful depths are to be plumbed in Bach's choral music, and although Gardiner is to be applauded for his patronisation of the cause of Bach, his recordings barely seem to scratch the surface of these noble conceptions. I cannot now fathom the UK music reviewers' glowing reviews of these recordings - I would suggest that those who feel these are 'simply the best' should try other recordings, but perhaps people just have different tastes....
I thus find myself strongly empathising with those who have given it 1 star, but I do feel this is unfair, as there is no arguing with the techical mastery of Gardiner's forces, especially the choir. However, I find 5 stars equally inappropriate, as there is simply no soul, to my ears. I have thus given it 2 stars - I was going to give it 3 but the MBM recording is guilty of pushing me away from Bach for several years, which I now find unforgivable.
I have found ONE Gardiner disk in Bach which is wonderful (DG Bach cantata pilgramage with Magdalena Kozena). But having listened to the SMP and various cantatas, I am VERY wary of Gardiner's Bach and all the disturbingly positive reviews that I cannot in all honestly understand. There is, simply, to me, no soul in this box set of Bach choral works by Gardiner, but if all you want is the notes, clinically played, then buy it, but you're not listening to the same Bach as an awful lot of us.
Rating:
- Truth hurts, doesn't it?
I've kept out of this until now but wondered when the outrage would begin after Harry Callahan's brave review below.
The huffing and puffing in the last two reviews is laughable. If their authors care to look at what the start ratings actually mean, they'll see 1 star means "hated it" - just that, not "poor performance" or some such (which Mr.Callahan said didn't apply anyway). The sad fact is that even in the classical music world too many people simply love getting caught up in hype such as that which surrounds Gardiner's staggeringly overrated Bach, with its shiny efficiency and its cold, cold heart. There is so much more to this lovely music than the con trick Gardiner perpetrates on his adoring audience.
Steer well clear.
Rating: - Simply The Best
In view of the anazing opinion of another reviewer who gave this one star, I point out that these records of the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor receive the highest "G" (for Gramophone) Award in the 2006 edition of the Gramophone Good CD Guide indicating that they are "Simply the Best. An unrivalled version, a cornerstone of the catalogue. A real star!". Ignorance is not bliss.
Rating: - Fabulous music sung fabulously
Ignore the person who gave this a 1 star review. It's simply ridiculous to give it such a low rating. I can understand the variability of taste but there's nothing here that's a 1 star effort. Having listened to these recordings over the pass 10 years, I have nothing but the highest regard for them as they continue to reward those with a sense of proportion and passion. I unreservedly recommend this recording for anyone looking to understand the inner beauty of Bach's choral masterpieces
- Fabulous music, beautifully performedThe other reviews here show that this is obviously a Marmite set - you either love it or you hate it. Me, I love it I treasure it and play it often. In such circumstances another review may not be of that much help to an undecided prospective purchaser because you can't know in advance whose taste you share, but for what it's worth:
The treasure of this set for me is the B Minor Mass. It has been described as the greatest work of art in any medium ever and while that may be a rather overblown claim it isn't wholly indefensible. Gardiner's interpretation does it proud. It has intensity, intellectual weight, a deep respect for the work and, above all, radiant beauty. I love it. I also have the Andrew Parrott recording (now available very reasonably on Virgin Veritas) and treasure the two equally. I've heard quite a few others which I don't like as much. There isn't a single correct way to do the B Minor Mass and your taste may not coincide with mine, but if you're looking for a really fine recording I don't think you can go wrong with Gardiner (or Parrott, for that matter).
I'm less qualified to compare versions of the other great works in this box as these are the only recordings I own and listen to in detail. Probably the reason for this is that I'm extremely happy with them. I've heard others which I have liked very much, and the Gardiner versions seem to me to stand up with the best of them. The singers in this set are simply fantastic - Nancy Argenta, Anne Sophie von Otter, Barbara Bonney, Anthony Rolfe Johnson, Stephen Varcoe to name but a few. The orchestra and chorus sound fresh and involved, and I derive huge pleasure from the whole set.
Gardiner seems to arouse strong passions in some musical breasts - one Amazon reviewer has written scathingly of both his Santiago discs, for example, which I think are sublime. For myself I think he's a great Bach interpreter and nine discs of him directing some of the world's finest music at this price seems to me to be a monumental bargain. I can see that some knowledgeable and passionate music lovers here have grave reservations but I, like the great majority of professional reviewers did, recommend this set wholeheartedly.
Rating:
- Bach without nobilityBelieve me - I LOVE a good period instrument performance.
But my introduction to the wonderful, inspiring, deep, soulful and noble choral works of Bach started, unfortunately, with John Eliot Gardiner's brassy and ludicrously overrated recording of the Mass in B Minor.
As a result I went several years thinking I didn't like Bach. Then one day I purchased the recording (also on period intruments) by Thomas Hengelbrock, what a revelation - nobility, depth, poise, beauty. Likewise with the extreme one-voice per part Rifkin recording, and the more traditional Peter Schreier-conducted (Philips), the list goes on, wonderful, wonderful depths are to be plumbed in Bach's choral music, and although Gardiner is to be applauded for his patronisation of the cause of Bach, his recordings barely seem to scratch the surface of these noble conceptions. I cannot now fathom the UK music reviewers' glowing reviews of these recordings - I would suggest that those who feel these are 'simply the best' should try other recordings, but perhaps people just have different tastes....
I thus find myself strongly empathising with those who have given it 1 star, but I do feel this is unfair, as there is no arguing with the techical mastery of Gardiner's forces, especially the choir. However, I find 5 stars equally inappropriate, as there is simply no soul, to my ears. I have thus given it 2 stars - I was going to give it 3 but the MBM recording is guilty of pushing me away from Bach for several years, which I now find unforgivable.
I have found ONE Gardiner disk in Bach which is wonderful (DG Bach cantata pilgramage with Magdalena Kozena). But having listened to the SMP and various cantatas, I am VERY wary of Gardiner's Bach and all the disturbingly positive reviews that I cannot in all honestly understand. There is, simply, to me, no soul in this box set of Bach choral works by Gardiner, but if all you want is the notes, clinically played, then buy it, but you're not listening to the same Bach as an awful lot of us.
Rating:
- Truth hurts, doesn't it?I've kept out of this until now but wondered when the outrage would begin after Harry Callahan's brave review below.
The huffing and puffing in the last two reviews is laughable. If their authors care to look at what the start ratings actually mean, they'll see 1 star means "hated it" - just that, not "poor performance" or some such (which Mr.Callahan said didn't apply anyway). The sad fact is that even in the classical music world too many people simply love getting caught up in hype such as that which surrounds Gardiner's staggeringly overrated Bach, with its shiny efficiency and its cold, cold heart. There is so much more to this lovely music than the con trick Gardiner perpetrates on his adoring audience.
Steer well clear.
Rating:
- Simply The BestIn view of the anazing opinion of another reviewer who gave this one star, I point out that these records of the St Matthew Passion and the Mass in B minor receive the highest "G" (for Gramophone) Award in the 2006 edition of the Gramophone Good CD Guide indicating that they are "Simply the Best. An unrivalled version, a cornerstone of the catalogue. A real star!". Ignorance is not bliss.
Rating:
- Fabulous music sung fabulouslyIgnore the person who gave this a 1 star review. It's simply ridiculous to give it such a low rating. I can understand the variability of taste but there's nothing here that's a 1 star effort. Having listened to these recordings over the pass 10 years, I have nothing but the highest regard for them as they continue to reward those with a sense of proportion and passion. I unreservedly recommend this recording for anyone looking to understand the inner beauty of Bach's choral masterpieces