Performances of Bach's St. John Passion, BWV 245, with these forces or close to them have become an annual Eastertime tradition in London, and this recording is guaranteed an appreciative audience. Certain details relate specifically to this tradition: several chorales are sung unaccompanied, but an accompanied version is included at the end for those who reject the dramatization. The recording may be a specifically British take on the work, with a very rich choral sound that sounds like it comes from a group larger than ...
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Performances of Bach's St. John Passion, BWV 245, with these forces or close to them have become an annual Eastertime tradition in London, and this recording is guaranteed an appreciative audience. Certain details relate specifically to this tradition: several chorales are sung unaccompanied, but an accompanied version is included at the end for those who reject the dramatization. The recording may be a specifically British take on the work, with a very rich choral sound that sounds like it comes from a group larger than the 30 or so singers of conductor Stephen Layton's handpicked group Polyphony, and some ultra-expressive singing from all the soloists, most especially tenor Ian Bostridge as the Evangelist. Despite the historically informed performance of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, it's a bit reminiscent of the big symphony orchestra Bach performances of a half century ago. You may find it rich and sumptuous, or you may find it a bit too much, but there are some real pleasures that...
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Add this copy of Bach: St John Passion to cart. $59.42, new condition, Sold by Revaluation Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Exeter, DEVON, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2013 by HYPERION RECORDS: CDA67901/2.