Johann Sebastian Bach Philippe Herreweghe Collegium Vocale - Bach Mass In B Minor (27 tracks) +Album Reviews

Exquisite pitch, diction, and feeling: Exquisite Performance

David W. Strauss | Abingdon, MD United States | 04/05/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Philippe Herreweghe will gain many fans with this recording. I bought it because I had worn out my Gardner recording. Talk about a revelation! Someone else already reviewed the differences in the opening Kyrie, so I won't retread that ground. Suffice it to say that EVERY chorus, aria, and duet is handled deftly but never "nose in the air" bombastic. The Crucifixus, with it's chromatically descending ostinato, transfixed an entire room full of people when I played it recently at our "Music Night". We have them once a month, rotating who chooses the program. I have been asked to include more of Herreweghe's recording of Bach's Mass in B Minor simply on the merits of the Crucifixus. I was deeply moved also by the wonderful "Credo Patrem Omnipotentem Factorum Coeli et Terrae". This recording is so solid, that when the Collegium Vocale resolve their chords at the end of each movement, you can hear the harmonic overtones generated by their purity of pitch. I have never heard such sublime singing. They also (and this is a tough one for most choirs) have their diction so unified that it is literally impossible to tell how many voices are singing - only that they're all singing perfectly together. Get this CD. You will not regret it. Five stars is not enough, but I wasn't given the choice to award more. Bravo, M. Herreweghe!"

Herreweghe prooves himself again

R. Gerard | Pennsylvania USA | 03/30/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"It is true that the Mass in B-Minor has rather been "taken out of the church." Doubtless, it is a great work that requires virtuosity of all it's performers, but therefore, it is easy for a recording of the Mass in B-Minor to lose it sacred feel. Take, for instance, the recording of the Mass by John Elliot Gardiner: a fine recording, but the oversized, vibrato heavy chorus and bombastic exectution might leave you less then awed.Leave it to Philippe Herreweghe and his fine choir, instrumentalists, and soloists to surpass any recording of this work made. When Bach composed this mass near the end of his life (about 1748), he recycled his best works from his long, illustrious career. Some of these works went as far back as 1714. These recycled works were "tweaked" more or less for improvements, and so most of the Mass in B minor is actually Bach's compendium of what he thought were the highlights of his career.And what better way to show-off Bach's pinnacle work than with Herreweghe and the Collegium Vocale! Never using more than 5 singers per part, the choir is uniform. It is a large-sounding choir and their diction is clear as a bell and each line can be heard. The "Patrem omnipotentem factorem coeli et terrae," (Bach's reworked version of cantata #171) is an exciting rendition, as are the other choruses.The sopranos and altos (not including the male altos) in the Collegium Vocale are especially boyish sounding, a good quality for a Bach choral work, sounding closer to what Bach had in mind for his own boy choir in St. Thomas Church in Leipzig. Their voices are not vibrato-heavy, making the sound of the choir more appealingly antique and smooth.The church-like resonance of the recording gives the Mass it's sacred atmosphere that other recordings lack. Harmonia Mundi's sound recording quality ranks the label as one of the most loved among classical music listeners.The orchestra is similarly fine. But the real treasure is the soloists. Herreweghe's recordings always boast the some of the finest young soloists of this generation, and this record is no exception.Bach never heard his peerless Mass in B-Minor during his lifetime. But Herreweghe has sure done Mr. Bach proud. Strongly reccomended."

One of my favorites

Edmund Feingold | 03/15/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Philippe Herreweghe is one of my favorite period conductors. Most of his recordings ended up in my possession because of the great soloists he engages. For example, this disc attracted my attention because of Veronique Gens, Andreas Scholl and Christoph Pregardien (who made a very favorable impression on me in Christie's recording of Mozart's Requiem). Yet, every time I ended up liking the recording for more than just a solo voice. Herreweghe's interpretations are always intelligent and nuanced. They appeal to me so much more than the bombastic Bach performances I grew up hearing. Herreweghe is great conducting other baroque music as well. My other personal favorites include Purcell's Hail! Bright Cecilia (Herreweghe jumps on the latest authentic performance bandwagon by casting two alto arias with a high tenor; but without lowering the pitch!); and Schutz Geistliche Chormusic (a combination of choral pieces and several Geistliche Concerte for solo voices - it moved me to tears!)."

Sublime

Susan P. Jones | Chapel Hill, NC USA | 06/11/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Caveat: I am only 18 years old and have only been singing/listening to choral music seriously for 3 or 4 years.

Do yourself a favor and get this exquisite recording. There is intense emotion, perfect diction, light production, excellent dynamic contrast, BEAUTIFUL soloists and just about anything else imaginable in this recording. The straight tone, evened-out vibrato sound is to die for.

Some of the most beautiful and moving solo pieces are Scholl's "Agnus Dei", Pregardien and the soprano (forgot her name)'s "Domine Deus", Scholl and the soprano's "Et in Unum Dominum" and Kooy's "Et in Spiritum Sanctum Dominum". I am not a big fan of Muller-Brachman's voice, but his interpretation of "Quoniam Tu Solus Sanctus Dominus" is well done. Ah, and the "Christe Eleison" is absolutely gorgeous, too. Really, there aren't any outright bad solo tracks. Muller-Brachman's "Quoniam" is clearly the worst, and the only one I won't listen to at any given moment.

The "Qui Tollis" movement is possibly the best on the CD. You can sense the long, legato lines that Herreweghe is going for, as if the singers are pulling you along for the ride with their breath connection. The trumpets are absolutely spectacular, especially in the "Cum Sancto Spiritu" movement. If you hear that piece, and don't want to fly out of your chair, something is horribly wrong. There is something distinctively divine about this music, and for me, it is best felt on movements like the "Cum Sancto Spiritu", "Gloria in excelsis deo", "Sanctus", "Ex Expecto" and "Et Resurexit"... The ones with lots of trumpet. However, the "Crucifixus" and "Et Incarnatus est" are nearly as powerful, just in a more subdued way. While the trumpet pieces make you want to jump out of your chair, the slower movements make you want to sink into your chair and just melt. The "Credo in Unum Deum" movement is performed with an excellent sense of counterpoint in this recording, and the only slight criticism I have is that I wish there was a bit more "bass" in some of the movements. However, being a baritone myself, I am a bit biased.

I had the pleasure of singing this piece with the Choral Society of Durham this past May, and this recording is as close to perfect as I have ever found and will likely find in the future. I can not wait to sing such a divinely beautiful work of choral music again."

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