Kathleen Ferrier: J.S. Bach St Matthew Passion - Arias & Choruses (1992)

1. Arias & Choruses: No.1: Come, Ya Daughters - The Bach Chor
2. Arias & Choruses: No.9: My Master And My Lord.../No.10: Grief For Sin - Eric Greene
3. Arias & Choruses: No.33: Behold, My Savior Now Is Taken - Elsie Suddaby/Eric Greene/The Bach Chor
4. Arias & Choruses: No.36: Ah! Now Is My Saviour Gone - Eric Greene/The Bach Chor
5. Arias & Choruses: No.47: Have Mercy, Lord, On Me.../No.48: Lamb Of God, I Fall Before Thee - Eric Greene
6. Arias & Choruses: No.60: Gracious God!.../No.61: If My Tears Be Availing - Eric Greene
7. Arias & Choruses: No.63: O Sacred Head Surrounded - The Bach Chor
8. Arias & Choruses: No.69: Ah, Golgotha!.../No.70: See Ye! See The Saviour's Outstretched Hands - Eric Greene/The Bach Chor
9. Arias & Choruses: No.72: Be Near Me, Lord, When Dying - The Bach Chor
10. Arias & Choruses: No.77: And Now The Lord To Rest Is Laid.../No.78: In Tears Of Grief - The Bach Chor

Kathleen Ferrier - alto
Elsie Suddaby - soprano (tracks: 4) 
The Bach Choir
The Jacques Orchestra
Reginald Jacques - conductor

Bach, in this time, was performed slowly, and I most certainly do not see that as a problem. As far as I'm concerned, the music was very probably written to be performed at tempos slower than that at which they're taken today (2013), and most significantly slower than they were taken a decade or two ago. The slower tempo enables some listeners such as myself to hear the counterpoint much better --that is, the intertwining inner melodies, for anyone unfamiliar with the term.

The recitatives, however (the narrative interspersed between the choruses and arias) do need to be taken at a brisk pace, and should be more spoken than sung. The tenor Evangelist, does do a good job of singing with a close to spoken style, and with good pace.

I'm listening to the first few numbers, and I'm waiting for the first big alto aria by Kathleen Ferrier, which is a major part of the value of the recording... Oh man, it is gorgeous. To those of us who were a little in love with this wonderful woman, this purchase is a definite must. I gave 4 stars only because of the technical deficits, which are totally forgivable for recordings of the period. The orchestra is more than good.

Oh dear; I just heard a hiccup in the recording: an entire phrase cut out. Luckily I have a CD of this aria, and can repair the file if I really want to...Highly recommended. ---Archimedes, amazon.com

download (mp3 @320 kbs):

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