Search - Johann Sebastian Bach, Andrew Parrott, Taverner Consort Players :: Bach: Magnificat; Ascension Oratorio

Andrew Parrott was the first conductor (other than Rifkin himself) to go along with Joshua Rifkin's controversial one-singer-per-part approach to Bach's "choral" works; he applies that theory here to Bach's Magnificat and Ascension Oratorio. In terms of balance, the approach works: the vocal parts don't stand out above the orchestra (as many listeners accustomed to a chorus expect), but they're not buried either. Good balance alone isn't enough, however: Parrott rips through the Magnificat so quickly that the singers have no time to do anything interesting with their parts. The Ascension Oratorio comes off better, with tempos that are brisk but not dizzying, as well as fine solos by Margaret Cable and Emma Kirkby. This is an interesting release; those who want a more orthodox choral approach should try Gardiner or Hickox. --Matthew Westphal