Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Performer: Peter Pears, Elisabeth Grümmer, Marga Höffgen, John van Kesteren, Hans Hotter, Kieth Engen, Anton Nowakowski, Margarethe Scharitzer
Orchestra: Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Conductor: Eugen Jochum
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Andromeda
Catalogue: ANDRCD9080
Release: 2011
Size: 305 MB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: cover
St. John Passion, BWV 245
CD 01
Part 1
01. Chorale: Herr, unser Herrscher (Chorus)
02. Recitative: Jesus ging mit seinen Jungern uber den Bach Kidron (Evangelist, Jesus)
03. Chorale: O grosse Lieb, o Lieb ohn alle Masse (Chorus)
04. Recitative: Auf dass das Wort erfullet wurde (Evangelist, Jesus)
05. Chorale: Dein Will gescheh, Herr Gott (Chorus)
06. Recitative: Die Schar aber und der Oberhauptmann (Evangelist)
07. Aria: Von den Strikken meiner Sunden (Alto)
08. Recitative: Simon Petrus aber folgete Jesu nach (Evangelist)
09. Aria: Ich folge dir gleichfalls mit freudigen Schritten (Soprano)
10. Recitative: Es ist vollbracht! (All)
11. Chorale: Wer hat dich so geschlagen (Chorus)
12. Recitative: Und Hannas sandte ihn gebunden (Evangelist, Chorus, Petrus, Servants)
13. Aria: Ach, mein Sinn (Tenor)
14. Chorale: Petrus, der nicht denkt zuruck (Chorus)
Part 2
15. Chorale: Christus, der uns selig macht (Chorus)
16. Recitative: Da fuhreten sie Jesum von Kaiphas (Evangelist, Pilatus, Chorus)
17. Chorale: Ach grosser Konig, gross zu allen Zeiten (Chorus)
18. Recitative: Da sprach Pilatus zu ihm (Evangelist, Pilatus, Jesus, Chorus)
19. Arioso: Betrachte, meine Seel, mit angstlichem Vergnugen (Bass)
20. Aria: Erwage, wie sein blutgefarbter Rucken (Tenor)
CD 02
01. Recitative: Und die Kriegsknechte flochten eine Krone (Evangelist, Chorus, Pilatus, Jesus)
02. Chorale: Durch dein Gefangnis, Gottes Sohn (Chorus)
03. Recitative: Die Juden aber schrieen und sprachen (Evangelist, Chorus, Pilatus)
04. Aria: Eilt, ihr angefochtnen Seelen (Bass, Chorus)
05. Recitative: Allda kreuzigten sie ihn (Evangelist, Chorus, Pilatus)
06. Chorale: In meines Herzens Grunde (Chorus)
07. Recitative: Die Kriegsknechte aber, da sie Jesum (Evangelist, Chorus, Jesus)
08. Chorale: Er nahm alles wohl in acht (Chorus)
09. Recitative: Und von Stund an nahm sie der Junger zu sich. (Evangelist, Jesus)
10. Aria: Es ist vollbracht (Alto)
11. Recitative: Und neigte das Haupt und verschied (Evangelist)
12. Aria: Mein teurer Heiland, lass dich fragen (Bass, Chorus)
13. Recitative: Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel (Evangelist)
14. Arioso: Mein Herz, indem die ganze Welt (Tenor)
15. Aria: Zerfliesse, mein Herze, in Fluten der Zahren (Soprano)
16. Recitative: Die Juden aber, dieweil es der Rusttag war (Evangelist)
17. Chorale: O hilf, Christe, Gottes Sohn (Chorus)
18. Recitative: Darnach bat Pilatum Joseph von Arimathia (Evangelist)
19. Chorale: Ruht wohl, ihr heiligen Gebeine (Chorus)
20. Chorale: Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein (Chorus)
Golden Melodram is an opera collectors’ label, presumably it ventured into Baroque choral music here because of the presence of several well-known operatic vocalists, notably bass Hans Hotter and tenor Peter Pears, in this performance. There are no texts. There are no liner notes — just a track list. We learn that the recording was made live at a performance in Munich in 1960, but we don’t know how or by whom. There are mistakes in the strings; there are a lot of coughing Bavarians in the auditorium. The recording does not just have bad sound, it has rock-fan-with-a-microphone-in-the-jeans sound. Perhaps the rock fans will be impressed to know that those of us on the classical side care enough about what we hear to sneak a recording device into the hall on occasion, too. The sound seems as if it’s coming through earmuffs, and from time to time (the contralto aria “Von den Stricken meiner Sünden mich zu entbinden,” CD 1, track 7, fares poorly) it drops out altogether. The problem is not in your audio equipment.
Thus forewarned, however, you can expect a very fine St. John Passion of the old-fashioned German kind. The focus for Golden Melodram may have been on the singers, and Hotter, who sings the role of Jesus, has a thick, enveloping bass voice that, despite its built-for-Valhalla quality, has a lyrical expressiveness that works well in Baroque melody. Equally beautiful, however, is conductor Eugen Jochum’s shaping of the choruses; mounting in power, they may inspire the listener to wonder why nobody does it this way anymore. The Chorus of the Bavarian Radio was one of West Germany’s best-trained at this point, and its mighty alto section is a joy to listen to. The Passion settings were as close as Bach came to opera, and the contrast between his polyphonic sacred choruses in the Lutheran church tradition and his Italianate dramatic sense is memorably brought out by this performance. Despite the grade Z sound, it’s worth checking out for those who love Bach’s passions and miss the good old days when no one would think of performing Bach’s choral music with one voice to a part.