Search - Heinrich Schutz, Wilhelm Ehmann, Arno Schonstedt :: Schütz: Kleine geistliche Konzerte

NO BETTER SCHUTZ

L. E. Roberts | Escondido, CA | 12/10/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Of the first Baroque ensembles that came out of Germany after WWII, none were better than the Westfalische Kantorei under the direction of Wilhelm Ehmann. Other names, like Rudolf Mauersberger, performed great Baroque music, but Ehmann was one of the greatest until the rise of Karl Richter, and those of the younger generation. Many of the recordings are old, but they were always made with the best equipment then available and translate well with professional remastering. Maestro Ehmann had an extremely well trained ensemble, and his singers were incredible. Arno Schoenstedt, who played the organ for the Kantorei, went on to become the definitive organist for the works of Hugo Distler. His Schutz is dynamic, proportioned and exceptionally well recorded. The Cantate series of Ehmann/Schutz recordings are high fidelity, in its best sense. His directing is meticulous, there is nothing wasted, and no romantic sostenuto to highlight a performer or a musical phrase. It is Baroque music dedicated to the ideals of Baroque music. Incidentally, the vocal soloists are fantastic, and could have toured the world with Karl Richter, when he made his world tours in the 1970's. Bottom line: If it has Ehmann's name on it, whether it is a Schutz album or is "Motettem der Romantik," buy it if you love choral music. My 91 year old uncle swears that his old Ehmann recordings of Bach's cantatas are better than Karl Richter or Karl Straube.



P.S. I was not slamming Rudolf Mauersberger. If he recorded it, it is good!"