Cristo

First and only recording of this rare but striking beautiful Oratorio by J. G. Naumann. It is composed in the italian style of the late XVIII century (like Salieri's Passione) and contains 2 concertante arias: one with violin, one with bassoon (!!!) which show how good Naumann really was. CPO delivered us a wonderful recording by a great italian specialist: Sergio Balestracci, conducting La Stagione Armonica (chorus) and Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto. The singers are first rated as well, like the japanese tenor Makoto Sakurada in the role of Pietro

JJohann Gottlieb Naumann, a contemporary of Joseph Haydn, was associated with Dresden, worked in Sweden and travelled in Italy. In his Passione di Gesù Cristo he concentrates on smaller scale emotions and conflicts – albeit in the context of the (conventional) Passion story. It was written, probably, in 1767. That’s quite an undertaking for a twenty-six year old, although Naumann already had several other vocal and choral successes to his name.