# Bach - B Minor Mass



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

What is an inspiring version of this to download?

:tiphat:


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## Botschaft (Aug 4, 2017)

on spotify


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

I don't own a copy of this, but have always thought this would be a great set. Great vocal clarity.








Sound clips here and probably a better price than on ebay or Amazon: Dunedin Consort.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Captainnumber36 said:


> What is an inspiring version of this to download?
> 
> :tiphat:


Do you want HIP or these days recordings captain?


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

My absolute favorite which i heard when i was a child and haven't found a better one yet. But not recommended if you're not into slow tempi or massive sonority for Bach music:


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## Poppin' Fresh (Oct 24, 2009)




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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Il_Penseroso said:


> My absolute favorite which i heard when i was a child and haven't found a better one yet. But not recommended if you're not into slow tempi or massive sonority for Bach music:


Agnes Giebel steals the show.:angel:


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Try the 1950 Karajan which caused a sensation in its day. Naxos transfer

If you want something more HIP try Herreweghe 2 with Scholl singing Agnus Dei


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> What is an inspiring version of this to download?
> 
> :tiphat:


Leonhardt

.........


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

DavidA said:


> Try the 1950 Karajan which caused a sensation in its day. Naxos transfer
> 
> If you want something more HIP try Herreweghe 2 with Scholl singing Agnus Dei


Does the Naxos have the appendix with the Ferrier bits, she was intended to do the recording but felt ill.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Agnus Dei with Boult


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

I don't know if it's still available, but the late 1960s version by the Munich Bach Orch. and Chorus conducted by Karl Richter had many fans and was semi-authentic for its time.


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Keep in mind that many of the Bach B Minor Mass recordings include a countertenor. If you don't like countertenors, then your selection is not going to include some of those posted above.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Pugg said:


> Do you want HIP or these days recordings captain?


It doesn't have to be HIP I suppose. I found a version on iTunes for 3.99 that didn't sound half bad. Some of the versions are like 20-30 dollars.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> It doesn't have to be HIP I suppose. I found a version on iTunes for 3.99 that didn't sound half bad. Some of the versions are like 20-30 dollars.


Oh well why not have this free one?

https://archive.org/details/J.S.BachMassInBMinor


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

MarkW said:


> I don't know if it's still available, but the late 1960s version by the Munich Bach Orch. and Chorus conducted by Karl Richter had many fans and was semi-authentic for its time.


Richter = Still one of my all-time favorites - I like Solti, too, excellent soloists, great orchestral work...
definitely non-HIP for me...


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I think this is my favorite work by Bach. If I marry a Christian girl (I'm a born hindu), I wouldn't mind having this played at the reception instead of Beethoven's Pastoral (as I have spoken a lot about on here with Bettina who has offered to learn the piano version for me, haha).


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I think this is my favorite work by Bach. If I marry a Christian girl (I'm a born hindu), I wouldn't mind having this played at the reception instead of Beethoven's Pastoral (as I have spoken a lot about on here with Bettina who has offered to learn the piano version for me, haha).


Unless your wife to be wants something completely different.


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## ArtMusic (Jan 5, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I think this is my favorite work by Bach. If I marry a Christian girl (I'm a born hindu), I wouldn't mind having this played at the reception instead of Beethoven's Pastoral (as I have spoken a lot about on here with Bettina who has offered to learn the piano version for me, haha).


Yes I think this is my favorite Bach vocal music and one of my favorite church music ever written, although the Mass in B minor was never actually performed entirely in one church service during his life.


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## Guest (Sep 21, 2017)

I agree with ArtMusic. John Eliot Gardiner with the English Baroque Soloists and the Monteverdi Choir.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Pugg said:


> Unless your wife to be wants something completely different.


:lol::lol::lol:

Very true!


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## Brahmsianhorn (Feb 17, 2017)

Scherchen is my favorite. Just gorgeous.










Someone mentioned Karajan. The 1952 studio is good, but the live 1950 is better. That's the one with Ferrier. One major caveat is that the first minute or so is missing. Some transfers splice in the opening from another recording. But the performance is excellent otherwise even with dim sound.

Others to check out: Enescu, Jochum, and Giulini.

For some reason I'm not a fan of Klemperer's Bach. It's not the size that bothers me - I love Jochum, Furtwangler and some of Karajan in this music - it's that the music seems to just trudge along with Klemperer. A certain lack of flexibility, perhaps?


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Another recommendation for Klemperer here, it's a desert island disc.


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## Reichstag aus LICHT (Oct 25, 2010)

ArtMusic said:


>


Another vote for Gardiner from me. Superbly sung and played; check out the _Cum Sancto Spiritu_ for all the evidence you'll need.


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

Xaltotun said:


> Another recommendation for Klemperer here, it's a desert island disc.


Time surely passes slowly on a desert island!


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## Muse Wanderer (Feb 16, 2014)

My first dip with the mass in B minor was via Karl Richter. I can still feel the despair of the Crucifixus. That recording is mesmerising to say the least.

However the best recording I heard was Philippe Herreweghe's with Collegium Vocale .










It is simply thrilling to listen from start to finish. The pace, clarity, tonality and vocal renditions are sublime and Herreweghe manages to mould the whole work as one. Here's a recollection of the experience I felt when listening to Herreweghe's renditions of Bach's Mass in B minor and St Matthew's Passion.


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## Bulldog (Nov 21, 2013)

Brahmsianhorn said:


> Scherchen is my favorite. Just gorgeous.


Aside from the sour strings and some extremely slow tempos, I enjoyed Scherchen's interpretation. I likely would have thought it wonderful if Scherchen were around today and used a period instrument orchestra.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

DavidA said:


> Time surely passes slowly on a desert island!


:lol::lol: good one!!


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Captainnumber36 said:


> It doesn't have to be HIP I suppose. I found a version on iTunes for 3.99 that didn't sound half bad. Some of the versions are like 20-30 dollars.


Another problem solved then, good luck Captain.


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

My favorite recording of Bach's B minor mass is *Jordi Savall's* on his own label AliaVox released in 2012. For some strange reason it was only released in Europe in a limited deluxe packaging with both cds and dvds. There is an import version for those using amazon.com though - beware that that this import dvd may a region code or picture format that is inkompatible with your equipment:
https://www.amazon.com/Bach-Messe-Mineur-BWV-Savall/dp/B009RUNNH6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1507295454&sr=8-2&keywords=jordi+savall+bach

If you insist on a good old one on modern instruments I like Karl Richter's 1962 recording from DGG/Archiv. Beware that there are several different recordings of the B minor mass by Karl Richter. This is the one I have:
https://www.amazon.com/Sebastian-Meisterwerke-Deutsche-Grammophon-International/dp/B000023YBP/ref=sr_1_6?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1507295893&sr=1-6&keywords=karl+richter+b+minor+mass+bach


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Ras said:


> My favorite recording of Bach's B minor mass is *Jordi Savall's* on his own label AliaVox released in 2012. For some strange reason it was only released in Europe in a limited deluxe packaging with both cds and dvds. There is an import version for those using amazon.com though:
> https://www.amazon.com/Bach-Messe-Mineur-BWV-Savall/dp/B009RUNNH6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1507295454&sr=8-2&keywords=jordi+savall+bach
> 
> If you insist on a good old one on modern instruments I like Karl Richter's 1962 recording from DGG/Archiv. Beware that there are several different recordings of the B minor mass by Karl Richter. This is the one I have:
> https://www.amazon.com/Sebastian-Meisterwerke-Deutsche-Grammophon-International/dp/B000023YBP/ref=sr_1_6?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1507295893&sr=1-6&keywords=karl+richter+b+minor+mass+bach


Great first post Ras, welcome to Talk Classical.


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

Thanks, Pugg!
I'm Happy to have posted something here for the first time!


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

Ras said:


> My favorite recording of Bach's B minor mass is *Jordi Savall's* on his own label AliaVox released in 2012. For some strange reason it was only released in Europe in a limited deluxe packaging with both cds and dvds. [/URL]


I think that the reason may have been the DVD, probably in PAL format which is impossible/difficult for American customers to play. I bought the digital MP3 version instead.

Welcome to TC, Ras -


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

Thank you for the welcome W. Kasimer 
- I have edited my first post adding a warning about the dvd and picture format. 
I also just realized that the O.P. was asking for a download - not cds or dvds - so it is good to hear that you were able to download the Savall recording.


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## Guest (Oct 6, 2017)

ArtMusic said:


>


This is the recording I have and it is performed very well. The sound quality (I have new hi-fi) isn't really anything to write home about. So, I'm looking around for an excellent performance which is recorded with superb depth and clarity - that's the challenge. The early digitals, going back to the inception of the CD, were mostly disastrous.


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## Ras (Oct 6, 2017)

C.A.
Do you mean "super audio cd" when you talk about good sound? I don't have a SACD player myself, but I have two recordings on SACD which sounds terrific played on my dvd-player. Namely: *John Butt on Linn* and *Jordi Savall on AliaVox*. These are not only among my favorite interpretations, but also sound great. I know some people are bitching and moaning about mediocre singers on John Butt's recording, but that didn't bother me (I'm lucky enough to know nothing about singing). Butt's recording is from 2010 and Savall's from 2012. I can post links if you can't find them yourself.


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## Omicron9 (Oct 13, 2016)

+1 for the Richter version. 

Related story: years ago, I was listening to this version of the B min Mass, and my ex-girlfriend (active GF at the time) walked in. She thought music began and ended with Aerosmith. She stopped in her tracks, wrinkled up her nose as if trying not to smell something highly offensive, looked at me and said, "Do you actually LIKE this?" Notice I said ex-girlfriend.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I like the Herreweghe 1989 recording with Collegium Vocale, Gent.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Omicron9 said:


> +1 for the Richter version.
> 
> Related story: years ago, I was listening to this version of the B min Mass, and my ex-girlfriend (active GF at the time) walked in. She thought music began and ended with Aerosmith. She stopped in her tracks, wrinkled up her nose as if trying not to smell something highly offensive, looked at me and said, "Do you actually LIKE this?" Notice I said ex-girlfriend.


I assume you found another more suited to your aesthetic sense. Of course, we are all aren't that fortunate, and I'm thankful we have headphones if nothing else than for the sake of propagation of the species.


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

*Christmas matinee at the Concertgebouw .* 12-25-2017

Philippe Herreweghe conducting the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in the Hohe Messe of Bach.
The soloists during the Christmas matinee include soprano Dorothee Madu, counter tenor Alex Potter and tenor Benjamin Hulett. Also the own choir of Herreweghe, Collegium Vocale Gent, contributes to this execution.
The concert is also be shown live on TV, at NPO 2.
And later online.


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## calvinpv (Apr 20, 2015)

So I have a question that been bugging me for some time. I have the John Eliot Gardiner recording (which is excellent), and I noticed that the recording is an entire semitone lower than what's written. Before purchasing this recording, I sampled others online, and a handful of them (I forget who) also had this peculiar feature while others sounded exactly as written. Can this be attributed to the use of period instruments or something else?


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## Guest (Dec 23, 2017)

The A pitch in the Baroque was 415 HZ,now it is 440 HZ. Especially the violin players like a higher pitch to get a more brilliant tone.


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