Jeremy Summerly, Oxford Camerata - Heinrich Schütz: The Christmas Story (1996)
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 217 Mb | Total time: 55:52 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Naxos | # 8.553514 | Recorded: 1995
EAC | FLAC | Image (Cue & Log) ~ 217 Mb | Total time: 55:52 | Scans included
Classical | Label: Naxos | # 8.553514 | Recorded: 1995
Schutz’s Weinachtshistorie is a magnificent Christmas counterpart to the Passion, and one can perhaps understand that during his lifetime the composer would only permit musicians of a certain standard to perform it in its entirety. The present recording is in most respects excellent. The choir are on very good form, bright, perfectly tuned (listen to Intermedium II, “The Multitude”, for example, or the vigorous characterization of the Magi in Intermedium IV), the instrumental contributions are discreet but vigorous when necessary, and the soloists all good. Paul Agnew is, I feel, a little matter of fact at the beginning, but seems to warm up as the work progresses (always a dangerous thing to say since, for all one knows, the work may have been recorded entirely in reverse order, but that is the impression given).