# My favorite set of Bach recordings - Karl Richter Live DVD's



## aioriacont (Jul 23, 2018)

Now for a serious topic, my all-time favorite set of recordings is unfortunately not available in audio form. 
It is the 4 dvd set released in 2006, with Karl Richter conducting Bach's two Passions, the Mass and the Brandenburg Concertos. Plus, there's a fifth dvd called "The Legacy of Karl Richter", but that's a documentary. I actually extracted the audio from those video performances, so I can listen to them in any place.

Even though I personally prefer HIP Bach recordings, especially the ones by Suzuki (particularly for the vocal works - cantatas, passions, masses, oratorios), those non-HIP video performances of Karl Richter are IMO even better than his own other various recordings (these said other recordings can be found in a lot of CD box-sets or in individual discs), and are very special and moving.

These so beloved performances can be easily found in YouTube, and probably most of you already know them. But they form a special 4-pieces set which i listen to much more than any other audio-only recording:

Mass In B-Minor:






St. Matthew Passion:






St. John Passion:






Brandenburg Concertos:


----------



## consuono (Mar 27, 2020)

I love Richter's recorded work overall, but wow that choir is massive. I think Rilling might've wisely pared the choir size down a little, but then on the other hand Richter did better in using a boys' choir in the ripieno choral parts in the Passions.

At any rate give me either of those conductors over the wheezy, anemic HIPsters any day.


----------



## aioriacont (Jul 23, 2018)

consuono said:


> I love Richter's recorded work overall, but wow that choir is massive. I think Rilling might've wisely pared the choir size down a little, but then on the other hand Richter did better in using a boys' choir in the ripieno choral parts in the Passions.
> 
> At any rate give me either of those conductors over the wheezy, anemic HIPsters any day.


I love the way Richter runs through a middle road between the older Romantic and more massive ones (Like Klemperer - who I absolutely love too btw) and the HIP versions. 
It has a special equilibrium, not making Bach sound like an earlier-born romantic, but also providing a deep spiritual and moving experience. These dvd versions are my favorites, the choirs specially are pure heaven.
I did not like Richter's versions found on his "Sacred Masterpieces" set, which are his earlier renditions. He really surpassed himself in these video performances, and i'm thankful they recorded it for posteriority.
There are not audio versions of those, but these can be easily ripped from the video. The four pieces all sum around 9h9min of purely musical bliss. Amazing set!


----------



## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I heard his b-minor mass from the Archiv recording era (early 1970s) in concert and was quite taken (also had the Brandenburg set). Look forward to hearing the newer videos.


----------

