Bach, Michel Corboz – Magnificat, Oratorio De L'ascension

It is good that there is a recording of Honegger's charming Christmas cantata with French-speaking soloists that does full justice to the work. It was the last completed work for baritone, choir and organ in 1953. In fact, it certainly deserves greater fame outside France. The recording was made in Lisbon and was later remastered by Cascavelle. We hear very beautiful, and in the case of the Danse des morts from 1938/40 (for speaker, soprano, baritone, choir and orchestra), even very concise renditions.

Throughout these sessions, Michel Corboz defended a clear, fluid vision of Mendelssohn's choral music. Without exaggerating, he underscored the references to J. S. Bach or Handel, of whom the composer was so fond – the beginning of Psalm 115, with its colours, distinctly evokes the Cantor's Passions. As for the chorus ‘Kommt herzu’ from Psalm 95, it attests to the thoroughly religious fervour and solemn grandeur that incontestably innervate the Swiss conductor's interpretations.

It is good that there is a recording of Honegger's charming Christmas cantata with French-speaking soloists that does full justice to the work. It was the last completed work for baritone, choir and organ in 1953. In fact, it certainly deserves greater fame outside France. The recording was made in Lisbon and was later remastered by Cascavelle. We hear very beautiful, and in the case of the Danse des morts from 1938/40 (for speaker, soprano, baritone, choir and orchestra), even very concise renditions.

The Christmas Oratorio (German: Weihnachts-Oratorium), BWV 248, is an oratorio by Johann Sebastian Bach intended for performance in church during the Christmas season. It was written for the Christmas season of 1734 and incorporates music from earlier compositions, including three secular cantatas written during 1733 and 1734 and a now lost church cantata, BWV 248a. The date is confirmed in Bach's autograph manuscript. The next performance was not until 17 December 1857 by the Sing-Akademie zu Berlin under Eduard Grell. The Christmas Oratorio is a particularly sophisticated example of parody music. The author of the text is unknown, although a likely collaborator was Christian Friedrich Henrici (Picander).

Karl Richter's performance dates from 1965, since when it has seldom been out of the catalogue. It is in an entirely different class… Richter's Munich Bach Choir were at a peak at this time and the results are often quite exciting. Under Richter's direction the ''Ehre sei dir, Gott'' chorus…is appropriately lustig with wonderfully light-hearted singing and orchestral playing… [T]he arias with Gundula Janowitz and Fritz Wunderlich…[are] of a calibre which will always ensure considerable enjoyment…

From 1957-1973 Werner recorded 55 of Bach's church cantatas as well as the St. John and St. Matthew Passions, the Christmas, Easter and Ascension Oratorios, the B minor Mass and the motets. MusicWeb stated, 'Werner's pacing of the (St. Matthew Passion) and his vision of it is compelling. The drama moves inexorably forward and the entire story is most movingly related.'