Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, Jan Willem de Vriend – J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio (2006) [nativeDSDmusic DSF DSD64/2.82MHz]

Combattimento Consort Amsterdam, Jan Willem de Vriend – J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio (2006)
DSF Stereo DSD64/2.82 MHz | Time – 72:01 + 66:56 minutes | 5,48 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download – Source: nativeDSDmusic | Booklet, Front Cover | © Challenge Records

Jan Willem de Vriend shares his thoughts on the Christmas Oratorio:
‘The Combattimento Consort Amsterdam has always performed the complete Christmas Oratorio with only two exceptions. On these two occasions the concert hall did not want a complete performance and the choice was left to us which movements to leave out. However, this is in fact an impossible choice, as in my view the work forms a single entity. So, it has happened on occasion that we have performed four cantatas. And even though prior to the concert we thought that on the one hand it would be fine to finish earlier, as it turned out — and I think I can speak for all my colleagues — after the performance we felt it a great pity after all, not to have included those two cantatas. During a performance of the complete cycle we have become accustomed to pausing between each cantata, to insert just a short break of around five minutes before beginning the following cantata. Incidentally, this is just one of the ways to divide up the work; I could also imagine that the cycle could be spread out, that one decides: “This morning I will perform one, then this evening another, with another cantata the following day.” Nevertheless, the point is that even when a performance is spread out over a number of days, as happened in Bach’s time, the work still continues to function as a unified whole. I am absolutely convinced that the churchgoers of the time had a far greater retention of the music, that the music remained more firmly entrenched in their memory until the following church service. Just compare how it is these days. After the concert, you may be sitting in your car and you switch on the radio to hear if there are any traffic jams reported, so you keep hearing fragments of music and as a result of this a large part of your recent musical experience is erased. I myself am glad that after performing a work it stays in my head for some time. Perhaps this was much more often the case in those days. As far as this is concerned, the effect of such a cantata would have been far stronger and of longer duration back then. Something similar also applies in the case of the various tonalities. In view of the fact that even temperament was nowhere near as widely in use in those days, a much greater differentiation was experienced between the various keys with their individual characteristics. With the advent of modern tuning, this entire sensibility to the different keys has vanished.’

Tracklist:

1-01 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ I. Chorus – Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage
1-02 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ II. Recitative (Evangelist) – Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit
1-03 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ III. Recitative (Alto) – Nun wird mein liebster Brutigam
1-04 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ IV. Aria (Alto) – Bereite dich, Zion
1-05 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ V. Chorale – Wie soll ich dich empfangen
1-06 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ VI. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und sie gebar ihren ersten Sohn
1-07 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ VII. Chorale & Recitative (Soprano, Bass) – Er ist auf Erden kommen arm
1-08 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ VIII. Aria (Bass) – Groer Herr, o starker Knig
1-09 – Part I ‘Christmas Day’ IX. Chorale – Ach mein herzliebes Jesulein
1-10 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ X. Sinfonia
1-11 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XI. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend
1-12 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XII. Chorale – Brich an, o schnes Morgenlicht
1-13 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XIII. Recitative (Evangelist, the Angel) – Und der Engel sprach zu ihnen
1-14 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XIV. Recitative (Bass) – Was Gott dem Abraham verheien
1-15 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XV. Aria (Tenor) – Frohe Hirten, eilt, ach eilet
1-16 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XVI. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und das habt zum Zeichen
1-17 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XVII. Chorale – Schaut hin, dort liegt im finstern Stall
1-18 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XVIII. Recitative (Bass) – So geht denn hin, ihr Hirten, geht
1-19 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XIX. Aria (Alto) – Schlafe, mein Liebster, geniee der Ruh
1-20 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XX. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und alsobald war da bei dem Engel
1-21 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XXI. Chorus – Ehre sei Gott in der Hhe
1-22 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XXII. Recitative (Bass) – So recht, ihr Engel, jauchzt und singet
1-23 – Part II ‘Boxing Day’ XXIII. Chorale – Wir singen dir in deinem Heer
1-24 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXIV. Chorus – Herrscher des Himmels, erhre das Lallen
1-25 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXV. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und da die Engel von ihnen gen Himmel fuhren
1-26 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXVI. Chorus – Lasset uns nun gehen gen Bethlehem
1-27 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXVII. Recitative (Bass) – Er hat sein Volk getrst’
1-28 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXVIII. Chorale – Dies hat er alles uns getan
1-29 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXIX. Duet (Soprano, Bass) – Herr, dein Mitleid, dein Erbarmen
1-30 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXX. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und sie kamen eilend
1-31 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXXI. Aria (Alto) – Schliee, mein Herze, dies selige Wunder
1-32 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXXII. Recitative (Alto) – Ja, ja, mein Herz soll es bewahren
1-33 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXXIII. Chorale – Ich will dich mit Flei bewahren
1-34 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXXIV. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und die Hirten kehrten wieder um
1-35 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXXV. Chorale – Seid froh dieweil
1-36 – Part III ‘Third Day of Christmas’ XXXVb. Chorus – Herrscher des Himmels, erhre das Lallen
2-01 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XXXVI. Chorus – Fallt mit Danken, fallt mit Loben
2-02 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XXXVII. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und da acht Tage um waren
2-03 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XXXVIII. Recitative (Bass) & Duet (Soprano, Bass) – Immanuel, o ses Wort!
2-04 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XXXIX. Aria (Soprano & Echo-soprano) – Flt, mein Heiland, flt, dein Namen
2-05 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XL. Recitative & Chorale (Bass, Soprano) – Wohlan dein Name soll allein
2-06 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XLI. Aria (Tenor) – Ich will nur dir zu Ehren leben
2-07 – Part IV ‘New Year’s Day’ XLII. Chorale – Jesus richte mein Beginnen
2-08 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLIII. Chorus – Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen
2-09 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLIV. Recitative (Evangelist) – Da Jesus geboren war zu Bethlehem
2-10 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLV. Chorus & Recitative (Alto) – Wo ist der neugeborne Knig der Jden
2-11 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLVI. Chorale – Dein Glanz all Finsternis verzehrt
2-12 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLVII. Aria (Bass) – Erleucht auch meine finstre Sinnen
2-13 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLVIII. Recitative (Evangelist) – Da das der Knig Herodes hrte
2-14 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ XLIX. Recitative (Alto) – Warum wollt ihr erschrekken
2-15 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ L. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und lie versammlen alle Hohepriester
2-16 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ LI. Terzetto (Soprano, Alto & Tenor) – Ach, wenn wird die Zeit erscheinen
2-17 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ LII. Recitative (Alto) – Mein Liebster herrschet schon
2-18 – Part V ‘Sunday after New Years Day’ LIII. Chorale – Zwar ist solche Herzensstube
2-19 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LIV. Chorus – Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben
2-20 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LV. Recitative (Evangelist) – Da berief Herodes die Weisen heimlich
2-21 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LVI. Recitative (Soprano) – Du Falscher, suche nur den Herrn zu fllen
2-22 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LVII. Aria (Soprano) – Nur ein Wink von seinen Hnden
2-23 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LVIII. Recitative (Evangelist) – Als sie nun den Knig gehret hatten
2-24 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LIX. Chorale – Ich steh an deiner Krippen hier
2-25 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LX. Recitative (Evangelist) – Und Gott befahl ihnen im Traum
2-26 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LXI. Recitative (Tenor) – So geht! Genug, mein Schatz geht nicht von hier
2-27 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LXII. Aria (Tenor) – Nun mgt ihr stolzen Feinde schrekken
2-28 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LXIII. Recitative (Soprano, Alto, Tenor, Bass) – Was will der Hllen Schrekken nun
2-29 – Part VI ‘Epiphany’ LXIV. Chorale – Nun seid ihr wohl gerochen