St Matthew Passion discography
Notable recordings of Johann Sebastian Bach's St Matthew Passion (Matthäus-Passion) are shown below in a sortable table.
History
[edit] | This section needs additional citations for verification. (November 2021) |
The earliest recordings of the St Matthew Passion were released on 78 records, although this medium was problematic for such a long work, because the discs only offered about 5 minutes per side. The first recording of the work was conducted by David McKinley Williams with the choir of St. Bartholomew's Church, New York in 1930, but it was not complete.[1] There is a live recording of Serge Koussevitzky conducting a complete performance in Boston on Good Friday 1937, sung in English. This has been reissued on CD.
Stereophonic recordings and spatial aspects of the work
[edit]While historic recordings give an opportunity to hear some of the great Bach singers of the past (such as Kathleen Ferrier on the Jacques recording), the introduction of stereophonic sound marked a clear improvement in the musical experience as regards the choral writing. For this complex work, the limited pool of musicians available to Bach in Leipzig was divided between two choirs and orchestras plus a chorus of boy sopranos in the first movement. Choirs I and II and the orchestras were physically separated,[2] and the dramatic nature of their interaction puts mono recordings at a disadvantage. In the case of the Karl Münchinger stereo recording from 1964, the engineers not only captured spatial aspects of the performance in the Ludwigsburg Palace, but also made a conscious effort to give a different acoustic to each of three elements of time identified in Picander's libretto, the time-frame being divided into
- the Evangelist some years after the events took place
- the events of the gospel narrative themselves
- the reflections of the anonymous soloists and the congregation.[3]
Historically informed performance
[edit]The work was first recorded by large choirs and orchestras. From the late 1960s, historically informed performances (HIP) tried to adhere more to the sounds of the composer's lifetime. In his church music generally, and in this work in particular, Bach wrote for boys choirs and for comparatively small orchestras of Baroque instruments (nowadays these instruments, often referred to as "period instruments", are sometimes antiques and sometimes reconstructions).
Historically informed performances set a trend for recordings with smaller groups which is taken to an extreme in recordings using only one voice per part. Some scholars believe that Bach used only one singer for a vocal part in the choral movements, although the number of singers Bach would have deployed continues to be the subject of debate.[4] Recordings with one voice per part are marked OVPP in this discography. On some of these recordings, the solo singer is reinforced in choral movements with a larger orchestra by a ripieno singer (OVPP+R).
Significant recordings
[edit]The selection is taken from the 281 recordings listed on the Bach Cantatas Website as of 2021, beginning with a recording from 1939 by a symphony orchestra and choir to match (the performance conducted by Willem Mengelberg). In 1970 the first HIP recording appeared, conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The first OVPP recording appeared in 2003, conducted by Paul McCreesh.
Table of recordings
[edit]The sortable listing is taken mostly from the selection provided by Aryeh Oron on the Bach Cantatas Website.
The information lists for one recording typically:
- Conductor / choir / orchestra, often several choirs
- Soloists in the order Evangelist (tenor), Vox Christi (Voice of Jesus, bass), soprano, alto, tenor (if the tenor arias are performed by a different tenor than the evangelist), bass. and some conductors use different soloists in combination with each choir.
- Label
- Year of the recording
- Choir type
- Large choirs (red background): Bach (choir dedicated to Bach's music, founded in the mid of the 20th century), Boys (choir of all male voices), Radio (choir of a broadcaster), Symphony (choir related to a symphony orchestra)
- Medium-size choirs, such as Chamber choir, Chorale (choir dedicated mostly to church music), Madrigal
- One voice per part (green background): OVPP or OVPP+R (with ripienists reinforcing the soloists in some chorale movements)
- Orch. type (orchestra type)
- Large orchestras (red background): Large (unspecified), Bach (orchestra dedicated to Bach's music, founded in the mid of the 20th century), Radio (symphony orchestra of a broadcaster), Opera, Symphony
- Chamber orchestra
- Orchestra on period instruments (green background)
- Notes
| Conductor / Choir / Orchestra | Soloists | Label | Year | Choir type | Orch. type | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Willem Mengelberg[1]
|
|
Philips | 1939 | Large | Symphony | |
| Reginald Jacques[1]The Bach ChoirThe Jacques Orchestra |
|
Decca | 1947 | Bach | Large | [a] |
Fritz Lehmann[1]
|
|
Vox | 1949 | Boys | Radio | |
| Hermann Scherchen[5]Wiener Akademie-KammerchorOrchestra of the Vienna State Opera |
|
Westminster | 1953 | Opera | ||
| Wilhelm FurtwänglerWiener Singverein Wiener SängerknabenWiener Philharmoniker |
1954 | Symphony | ||||
| Ralph Vaughan Williams[5][6]Leith Hill Musical Festival Orchestra & Chorus |
|
Pearl | 1958 | Large | released in 2000 | |
Fritz Werner[5]
|
|
Erato | 1958 | Chamber | ||
| Mogens Wöldike[5]Schottenstift Boys' ChoirOrchestra of the Vienna State Opera |
|
Vanguard Classics | 1959 | Boys | Opera | |
Karl Richter[5]
|
|
Archiv Produktion | 1959 | Bach | Bach | [b] |
| Otto Klemperer[7]Philharmonia ChorusPhilharmonia Orchestra |
|
EMI | 1962 | Symphony | Symphony | |
| Leonard Bernstein[7]Collegiate ChoraleNew York Philharmonic |
|
Columbia Masterworks Records | 1962 | Chorale | Symphony | slightly abridged, sung in English later re-issued on Sony Masterworks |
| Karl Munchinger[7]Stuttgart Hymnus Boys' ChoirStuttgart Chamber Orchestra |
|
Decca | 1964 | Boys | Chamber | |
| Eugen JochumNetherlands Radio Choir Boys' Choir of St Willibrord Church, AmsterdamRoyal Concertgebouw Orchestra |
|
Philips | 1966 | Radio | ||
| Wolfgang Gönnenwein[7]Süddeutscher MadrigalchorConsortium Musicum |
|
EMI | 1968 | Madrigal | Chamber | |
Claudio Abbado[7]
|
|
Dino Classics | 1969 | Radio | Radio | |
Karl Richter[7]
|
|
Archiv Produktion | 1969 | Bach | Bach | recorded live at Tokyo Bunka Kaikan |
| Erhard Mauersberger Rudolf Mauersberger Hans-Joachim Rotzsch[7][8]Gewandhausorchester |
Eterna | 1970 | Boys | Symphony | [c] | |
Nikolaus Harnoncourt[9]
|
|
Teldec | 1970 | Boys | Period | First HIP |
| Karl RichterMünchener Bach-Chor Münchener ChorknabenMünchener Bach-Orchester |
|
Deutsche Grammophon | 1971 | Bach | Bach | DVD, released in 2006 |
Herbert von Karajan[9]
|
|
Deutsche Grammophon | 1972 | Large | Symphony | |
Johan van der Meer[9]Groningse Bachvereniging
|
|
Groningse Bachvereniging (self release) |
1973 | Bach | Period | |
Charles de Wolff[9]
|
|
COrneMuse | 1977 | Bach | Period | |
| Helmuth Rilling[9]Gächinger KantoreiBach-Collegium Stuttgart |
|
Columbia Masterworks Records | 1978 | Chorale | Chamber | later re-issued on Sony Masterworks |
David Willcocks[9]
|
|
Decca | 1979 | Bach | Chamber | Sung in English re-issued in 2006 on Universal Classics |
Karl Richter[9]
|
|
Archiv Produktion | 1979 | Bach | Bach | [d] |
| Philippe Herreweghe[10]Collegium Vocale Gent Chœur d'Enfants "Il dulci jubilo"Instrumentalists of Collegium Vocale Gent La Chapelle Royale |
Harmonia Mundi | 1985 | Period | |||
| Peter Schreier[10]Rundfunkchor LeipzigStaatskapelle Dresden |
|
Philips | 1985 | Radio | Symphony | |
| Georg Solti[10]Chicago Symphony ChorusChicago Symphony Orchestra |
|
Decca | 1988 | Symphony | Symphony | |
| John Eliot Gardiner[10][4]Monteverdi ChoirEnglish Baroque Soloists |
|
Archiv Produktion | 1989 | Period | ||
Gustav Leonhardt[10]
|
|
Deutsche Harmonia Mundi | 1989 | Boys | Period | |
| Ton Koopman[11]De Nederlandse Bachvereniging Sacramentskoor BredaAmsterdam Baroque Orchestra |
|
Erato | 1993 | Bach | Period | |
Stephen Cleobury[11]
|
|
Brilliant Classics/Regis | 1994 | Boys | Period | [e] |
Frans Brüggen[11]
|
Philips | 1996 | Chamber | Period | ||
| Jos van Veldhoven[11]De Nederlandse Bachvereniging Koorschool St. Bavo, Haarlem |
|
Channel Classics | 1997 | Bach | Period | recorded live at Muziekcentrum Vredenburg |
| Seiji Ozawa[11]SKF Matsumoto Children's Choir & Tokyo Opera SingersSaito Kinen Orchestra | Philips | 1997 | Radio | Radio | ||
| Philippe Herreweghe[11]Collegium Vocale Gent | Harmonia Mundi | 1998 | Period | |||
| Masaaki Suzuki[11]Bach Collegium Japan |
|
BIS | 1999 | Period | ||
| Heinz Hennig[12]Knabenchor Hannover ThomanerchorAkademie für Alte Musik Berlin Barockorchester L'Arco |
|
Thorofon | 2000 | Boys | Period | Collaboration of two boys' choirs |
Nikolaus Harnoncourt[12]
|
|
Teldec | 2001 | Period | [f] | |
| Paul McCreesh[12]Gabrieli Consort & Players |
|
Archiv Produktion | 2003 | OVPP | Period | First OVPP |
Enoch zu Guttenberg[12]
|
|
Farao Classics | 2003 | Large | Large | |
| Ton Koopman[12]Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra & Choir Sacramentskoor Breda |
|
Challenge Classics | 2006 | Period | [g] | |
| John Butt[12]Dunedin Consort |
|
Linn Records | 2008 | OVPP+R | Period | Recording of 1742 version |
| Sigiswald Kuijken[12][13]La Petite Bande |
|
Challenge Classics | 2008 | OVPP | Period | |
Riccardo Chailly[12]
|
|
Decca | 2009 | Boys | Symphony | collaboration of two boys' choirs |
| Jos van Veldhoven[14]De Nederlandse Bachvereniging Kampen Boys Choir |
|
Channel Classics | 2010 | OVPP+R | Period | |
| René Jacobs[2]RIAS Kammerchor Staats- und Domchor BerlinAkademie für Alte Musik Berlin |
|
Harmonia Mundi | 2013 | Chamber | Period | |
| Peter Dijkstra[14]Bavarian Radio Choir Regensburger DomspatzenBavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra |
|
BR-Klassik | 2014 | Radio | Radio | |
| Hans-Christoph Rademann[14]Gaechinger Cantorey | Accentus Music | 2017 | Chorale | Period | DVD of choreographed performance | |
| Stephen Cleobury[15]Choir of King's College, CambridgeThe Academy of Ancient Music |
|
Brilliant Classics | 2019 | Boys | Period |
- ^ Novello edition: music edited by Atkins & Elgar; English translation by Johnson & Troutbeck. Omits Nos. 11, 21, 65, 66; Abridged Nos. 10, 12. Released on 78s, re-released on LPs
- ^ later re-issued (choruses & arias only) on Deutsche Grammophon
- ^ collaboration of two conductors (and brothers) and their boys' choirs, re-issued in 2005 Berlin Classics
- ^ 5th recording Richter, recorded at Herkulessaal, Munich Residenz; last recording of work by Richter (recorded 2 years before his death)
- ^ also on DVD, filmed and recorded at King's College Chapel, Cambridge
- ^ 2001 Grammy Award for "Best Choral Performance", 2001 Gramophone magazine award for "Best Baroque Vocal Recording"
- ^ also on DVD, filmed and recorded at Sint-Joriskerk, Amersfoort
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 1 / Complete Recordings 1900-1949". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ a b "Bach, J S: St Matthew Passion, BWV244 (Jacobs)". Presto Music. prestoclassical.co.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ The recording (Media notes). (Notes by Ray Minshull, the producer for Decca). For an analysis of the structure of the libretto, see St Matthew Passion structure
- ^ a b Cooper, Katherine (9 March 2017). "Sir John Eliot Gardiner revisits the St Matthew Passion". Presto Music. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 2 / Complete Recordings 1950-1959". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Johann Sebastian BACH (1685-1750) / St Matthew Passion". musicweb-international.com. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 3 / Complete Recordings 1960-1969". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Bach, J S: St Matthew Passion, BWV244" (in German). magazin.klassik.com. Retrieved 25 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 4 / Complete Recordings 1970-1979". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 5 / Complete Recordings 1980-1989". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 6 / Complete Recordings 1990-1999". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 7 / Complete Recordings 2000-2009". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 24 July 2015.
- ^ "Bach, J S: St Matthew Passion, BWV244 (Kuijken)". Presto Music. prestoclassical.co.uk. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
- ^ a b c "Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 / Recordings - Part 8 / Complete Recordings 2010-2019". Bach Cantatas Website. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
- ^ Kemp, Lindsay (May 2020). "JS Bach St Matthew Passion (Cleobury)". Gramophone. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
External links
[edit]- Matthäuspassion, BWV 244 (Bach, Johann Sebastian): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Matthäuspassion, BWV 244b (Bach, Johann Sebastian (early edition): Scores at the International Music Score Library Project
- Libretto with English translation San Francisco Bach Choir
- Matthäus-Passion BWV 244 Commentary, musical examples, list of recordings on the Bach Cantatas Website
- Side-by-side arrangement of the original text and an English translation Minnesota Public Radio