Search - Brian Rayner Cook, Heinrich Schutz, Paul Steinitz :: Heinrich Shütz: Die sieben Worte Jesu Christi am Kreuz; Vier Dialogue

A strong reissue but with competition

09/16/1998

(3 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of Gardiner's earliest recordings, from the days when the Monteverdi Choir were breaking new ground with their namesake's Vespers, and it stands the test of time well, but there is a more recent 1980s take on the Seven Words by Rene Jacobs. The choice will probably depend either on whether you like Schutz with a Cambridge accent or a more Parisian feel, or simply on the other items on the CDs. Gardiner's recording, dating from the vinyl era, naturally has less playing time but includes some good dialogues from Symphoniae Sacrae Opus 12 including Mein Sohn, warum hast du uns das getan? which takes the question of Mary in Luke2:48 and the response of the twelve year old Jesus as the text (although this performance is technically not as flawless as the one on the complete Opus 12 set by Bernius). Meanwhile Jacobs packs his Seven Words disc with nine other short pieces."

Good recording

Aaron Minnick | Columbus, OH United States | 04/10/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I bought this as a practice recording (I'm singing the part of Jesus). My only quibble: I wish the producer had split the 7 Words recording into multiple CD tracks, 1 per movement. It was difficult having to fast-forward and rewind through the entire piece."