Lutheran Masses Volume 1
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J. S. BACH
Lutheran Masses Volume 1
The Sixteen Harry Christophers
[ Coro / CD ]
Release Date: Friday 1 November 2013
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Following a series of concerts at London's newest music venue, Kings Place, Harry Christophers and The Sixteen recorded two new CDs of the Masses. Each volume also features a Cantata. The fact that The Sixteen has not performed or recorded such a wealth of Bach's music in a number of years, makes this an uniquely exciting project.
Bach was a Lutheran church musician devoted to the composition of sacred music in German. He wrote more than 200 cantatas for the liturgy, most of them in Leipzig. Despite their name, the four Lutheran Masses feature almost no Lutheran material. Sometimes called 'Missa brevis', musically they are almost entirely made up of movements borrowed from Bach's Cantatas but, while they are often overshadowed by the more famous Mass in B minor, the beauty of these short Masses is that they represent Bach's own choice of his finest Cantata movements.
Despite their exquisite beauty, featuring splendid choruses and deeply moving arias, there are relatively few recordings of the Lutheran Masses. On this new collection just eight singers from The Sixteen perform the Masses allowing the beauty of the virtuosic vocal lines to be heard with absolute clarity.
Volume I will be released in October of 2013 and will be followed next year by a second disc completing the mini-series.
"The Sixteen and Christophers performed these works [at King's Place's Bach Unwrapped], with small forces - two voices to a part - and an expert instrumental ensemble who contribute precise, highly energised solo playing and continuo." The Observer
"Christophers positions himself halfway between the Purcells and Amsterdamers, settling on a choir of eight voices with predictably transparent results...Christophers's customary precision and gracefulness are evident throughout." (BBC Music)
"The Sixteen is in fact an eight for this recording, and Harry Christophers' decision to reduce his forces rewards the listener with lightness, precision and an essentially perfect blend. The orchestra are excellent, and...the calm of the coloratura is remarkable." Early Music Today
