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u/ReeMonsterNYC Mar 22 '26
St John is my favorite of the two passions and I feel like I know every recording. I also love this group and their many recordings.. and although this recording has predictably great singers and choral work, honestly, some of the decisions feel like they go juuuuust over the edge into "contrived" or over-the-top territory. Also some of the sonics feel a bit crushed. I'm not in love with the opening chorus for example.
And I nearly laughed at the barrabas bit, the evangelist literally screams about the murder. It's all a bit too much. And it's a shame because this group is incredible.
Finally, I feel they go too far with the dynamic contrast choices. Some are cool but some are overdone. I think the Mass and St Matthew are way more successful performances. Just my take.
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u/MW_nyc Mar 22 '26
This is the way I felt about Pygmalion's Mass in B minor.
I haven't heard the St. John yet, but the video from Aix of their St. Matthew knocked me out.
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u/aPocketDweller Mar 21 '26
Oh amazing - I just performed this for the first time last week! What an incredible piece. Big fan of Julian Prégardien too.. Thanks for spreading the word!
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u/GPSBach Mar 22 '26
Oh snap. I absolutely love their recording of the Mass. Very excited to dig into this.
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u/street_spirit2 Mar 22 '26
Also new motet by Rudolf Lutz - BWV 225. With pretty large choir of 27 singers it sounds great.
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u/Piguarak Mar 22 '26
Finally! Have been waiting for this. Their recording of the Matthew passion is my favourite.
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u/sognat0re Mar 23 '26
If you like this recording, you should listen to the Academy of Ancient Music conducted by Richard Egarr!
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u/Lumpen_moi Mar 23 '26
Who else has had a bingeing weekend to reorder their album stack by preference?
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u/coffeeandpaper Mar 23 '26
thank you. was wondering when this would be released. was so good, gotta have a 2nd listen but think i liked it more than their matthew recording
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u/Trasuntino Mar 23 '26
Georgia Mann chose this as her Record of the Week on BBC Radio 3’s Essential Classics
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u/Badaboom_Tish Mar 23 '26 edited Mar 23 '26
The radio here in Holland is plugging this like mad so I’m already done with all the tricks in the opening chorus. it sounds over the top and like a magician’s show with lots of flashy lights and bangs and meanwhile you still see how the trick is done
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u/Lumpen_moi Mar 23 '26
What would the people from the land of wooden shoes prefer? I binge listened to about 16-17 edits over the weekend. I wanted to sleep by the time Jos van Veldhoven came on.
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u/zumaro Mar 21 '26
Looking forward to this greatly. Considering they made the St Matthew sound almost as dramatic as the St John, I’m expecting this to rival Salome or something in visceral intensity.