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Bach: Christmas Oratorio

Search: No.41 Aria (Tenor): "Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben" - Hans Peter Blochwitz- English Baroque Soloists- John Eliot Gardiner- Alison Bury- Maya Homburger
from: Archiv Produktion

Release Date November 04, 1987
This disc is a bit of an oddity. I can give it a perfectly sincere recommendation, but I think I had better explain myself carefully, and explain exactly what I am recommending.

The spirit of the selection is much what you would expect in a disc entitled `Christmas Treats from JSB' or `Immortal Melodies from The Christmas Oratorio' or something of that sort. Bach's Christmas Oratorio is not an oratorio in the Handelian sense. In the 1730's Bach faithfully turned out a cantata for each Sunday and major feast, but in one particular year he elected to reprocess some of his older music, most of it secular originally, and string the numbers together for the entire festive season under the overall title of `Christmas Oratorio'. Borrowing, ... Read More:

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J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio · St. Matthew Passion · St. John Passion · Mass in B minor

Search: No.41 Aria (Tenor): "Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben" - Hans Peter Blochwitz- English Baroque Soloists- John Eliot Gardiner- Alison Bury- Maya Homburger
by: English Baroque Soloists John Eliot Gardiner

Release Date April 14, 2003
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 ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
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Bach: Christmas Oratorio

Search: No.41 Aria (Tenor): "Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben" - Hans Peter Blochwitz- English Baroque Soloists- John Eliot Gardiner- Alison Bury- Maya Homburger
from: Archiv Produktion

Release Date October 05, 2000
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 ... Read More: