[.ca] Epiphany Mass

It seems obvious that Bach's sacred music and organ works were written for church services, yet we listen to them almost exclusively as disembodied concert pieces. Luckily, Paul McCreesh makes a specialty of remedying this; here, for the first time on any commercial recording, he's placed Bach's music into the order of service (in this case, for the Epiphany, or Three Kings Day) from Bach's own church in Leipzig. For that reason alone, this is an important release; as usual with these performers, it's thrilling music-making as well. McCreesh uses very small forces in the vocal works--usually one singer per part and never more than two--yet the performance never feels underpowered. Quite the contrary: the opening chorus of cantata no. 180, for example, gets a good-humored, jaunty swing; the Kyrie of the Missa builds from gentle grace into magnificence, while the Gloria sounds deliriously joyful (with ferocious horn playing). What's more, listeners familiar with these works may hear a lot of instrumental detail that's usually obscured by a larger choir. The singers acquit themselves well in the "choruses"; while countertenor Angus Davidson doesn't sound quite up to the breathless "Quoniam" in the Missa, the other soloists are very good indeed, particularly the nimble tenor Charles Daniels. It's a pleasure to hear Bach's organ music brought together with his cantatas, and the two organists even improvise (as Bach did) brief flourishes between each line of the hymns. Which brings us to the performance's one flaw: the congregational hymn-singing, so exciting on this group's Praetorius recording, can get a bit tedious here. Don't let that put you off, though (CD players have "skip" buttons, after all)--even by McCreesh's formidable standards, this is one fabulous record. --Matthew Westphal

Chronique amazon.fr:
Jean-Sébastien Bach composa beaucoup de musique sacrée, durant son séjour prolongé à Leipzig (vingt-sept ans). Dans cette ville, bastion du protestantisme, il avait pour obligation de composer pour chaque office ! Les Messes luthériennes obéissent au culte protestant et se distinguent des autres messes d'inspiration catholique. Paul McCreesh conduit ces pages à l'austérité intimiste avec une retenue toute luthérienne ! Cette intensité n'empêche pas une certaine dynamique et une indéniable beauté.--Marc Aigneaux

• Epiphany Mass: Church Bells
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude 'Puer natus In Bethlehem' BWV 603
• Epiphany Mass: Introit Hymn 'Puer natus In Bethlehem
• Epiphany Mass: Fantasia In E Flat Major
• Epiphany Mass: Missa brevis In F Major BWV 233 - No.1 Chorus: Kyrie eleison
• Epiphany Mass: Missa brevis In F Major BWV 233 - No.2 Chorus: Gloria In excelsis deo
• Epiphany Mass: Missa brevis In F Major BWV 233 - No.3 Aria: Domine Deus
• Epiphany Mass: Missa brevis In F Major BWV 233 - No.4 Aria: Qui tollis peccata mundi
• Epiphany Mass: Missa brevis In F Major BWV 233 - No.5 Aria: Quoniam tu solus sanctus
• Epiphany Mass: Missa brevis In F Major BWV 233 - No.6 Chorus: Cum Sancto Spiritu
• Epiphany Mass: Collect: Dominus vobiscum - Deus illuminator
• Epiphany Mass: Epistle: So Schreibt der Prophet Jesaja
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Christum wir sollen loben schon BWV 611
• Epiphany Mass: Gradual Hymn: Was furcht'st du, Feind Herodes, sehr
• Epiphany Mass: Gospel: Der Herr sei mit euch - Da Jesus geboren war
• Epiphany Mass: Toccata In B Flat Major
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.1 Chorus: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.2 Chorale: Die Kon'ge aus Saba Kamen dar
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.3 Recitative: Was dort Jesaias Vorhergesehn
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.4 Aria: Gold aus Ophir ist zu schlecht
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.5 Recitative: Werschmahe nicht, du, meiner Seelen Licht
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.6 Aria: Nimm mich dir zu eigen hin
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen BWV65 - No.7 Chorale: Ei nun, mein Gott
• Epiphany Mass: Credal Hymn: Wir glauben all an einen Gott
• Epiphany Mass: Salutation: Gnade sei mit euch
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Der Tag, der ist so freudenreich BWV 719
• Epiphany Mass: Pulpit Hymn: Ein Kindelein so lobelich
• Epiphany Mass: Sermon: Lesung aus dem Heiligen Evangelisten Matthao
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Nun danket alle Gott BWV 657
• Epiphany Mass: Hymn: Was soll ich, liebstes Kind
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude In C Major BWV 567
• Epiphany Mass: Preface: Dominus vobiscum - Vere dignum et justum est
• Epiphany Mass: Sanctus In D Major BWV 238
• Epiphany Mass: The Lord's Prayer: Lasst usn beten - Vater unser, der du bist im himme!; Words Of Institution: Unser Herr Jesus Christ
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Schmucker dich, o liebe seele BWV 654
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.1 Chorus: Schmucke dich, o liebe Seele
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.2 Aria: Ermuntre dich: dein Heiland klopft
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.3 Recitative And Arioso: Wie teuer sind des heilgen Mahles Gaben!
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.4 Recitative: Mein Herz fuhlt in sich Furcht und Freude
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.5 Aria: Lebens Sonne, Licht der Sinnen
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.6 Recitative: Herr, Lass an mir dein treues Lieben
• Epiphany Mass: Cantata: Schmucke dich, o liebe seele BWV 180 - No.7 Chorale: Jesu, wahres Brot des Lebens
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Nun freut euch, liebe Christen g'mein BWV 734
• Epiphany Mass: Hymn: Nun freut euch, liebe Christed g'mein
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Christe, du Lamm Gottes BWV 619
• Epiphany Mass: Hymn: Christe, du Lamm Gottes
• Epiphany Mass: Post-Communion: Lasset uns beten - Allmachtiger Herr Gott - Benediction: Der Herr segne dich und behute dich - Response: Gott sei uns gnadig BWV 323
• Epiphany Mass: Prelude: Vom Himmel Hoch BWV 738A
• Epiphany Mass: Final Hymn: Vom Himmel Hoch
• Epiphany Mass: Postlude: Fantasia In G Major BWV 572