Bach: Mattaus Passion / Herreweghe, Jacobs, Kooy, Crook

On its initial release in 1985, this recording of Bach's St. Matthew Passion made a huge impression, for a number of reasons. One was the exceptional quality of the recording itself, a typically classy Harmonia Mundi production that we have since come to expect, but which at the time was giving the major labels more than a run for their money. More importantly, it was this recording (alongside Philippe Herreweghe's equally glorious Monteverdi Vespers of a couple of years later) that demonstrated conclusively that authentic instruments didn't have to be cold and dry, as with Pinnock, Gardiner, Hogwood, and the English ensembles in general, or rasping and raw, tethered to the interpretive peculiarities of Harnoncourt or the monkish austerity of Leonhardt.


What Herreweghe demonstrated triumphantly for virtually the first time (if we exclude a few marvelous old discs featuring the Collegium Aurem) was that period performances could be sensuously beautiful, rich in timbre, creamy of texture, and darkly seductive in sound. Although he would achieve a more dramatic interpretation in his subsequent remake--and find a better alto soloist than René Jacobs in Andreas Scholl--there's a very real sense in which this earlier recording more accurately conveys what makes Herreweghe's vision of the music so distinctive. The choruses move swifly but sound gorgeously expressive, never gaunt. Similarly the wind soloists of La Chapelle Royale play the music with uncommon refinement, and the strings never sound undernourished. Their "halo" around the words of Jesus really does glow!


The line-up of soloists is particularly fine, led by Howard Crook's fine Evangelist, excellent contributions from soprano Barbara Schlick and tenor Hans-Peter Blochwitz, and with Ulrik Cold a singularly humane Jesus. It's all captured in a warmly resonant acoustic space that lets the music flow out of the speakers and into your listening room like a healing balm. It was a good idea for Harmonia Mundi to reissue this performance at reduced price, both for what it represented at the time of its original appearance, and for the considerable musical pleasure it still offers. [7/12/2003]
-- David Hurwitz, ClassicsToday.com
Reviewing earlier issue of this recording