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From: parker@psuvax1.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.music.classical
Subject: Re: J. S. Bach's Mass in B minor or the Passions: Which to buy?
Message-ID: <1101@psuvax1.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 17-Jul-84 07:51:09 EDT
Article-I.D.: psuvax1.1101
Posted: Tue Jul 17 07:51:09 1984
Date-Received: Sun, 22-Jul-84 03:27:15 EDT
References: <743@abnjh.UUCP>
Organization: Pennsylvania State Univ.
Lines: 24

My favorite of the three is easily the B Minor Mass.  You should
know that the work is a splendid mixture of both the more solemn
and the more buoyant of Bach's writing.  I find the Saint Matthew's
Passion tedious at best.  I haven't heard the Saint Luke's in a few
years but my impression is the same.

I don't understand why you would want to lay out $25 to $45, though.
My favorite recording is one by Michel Corboz and the Lausanne
Orchestra and Chorus on Erato which lists for $8.98 (if I'm
reading the Schwann correctly).  This is easily the most joyous
and spontaneous sounding recording I have heard.  Be warned --
it is not the best performed.  The soloists are not great --
in fact barely adequate.  The brass are nasal (this works to great
effect in the "Cum Sanctus Spiritu".  The orchestra is not always
together.  But the elan of the musicians so wonderful that I just
can't praise this recording enough.  Don't expect digital sound
here, either.  We're talking about music, not sound.  Leave that
for net.audio.

By the way, don't waste your money on Neville Marriner's recording
despite the glowing critical reviews.  This is typical stiff
British nonsense and conveys none of the joy of this great work.

Bruce Parker