# Help needed please - Bach's St Mathews Passion



## Eelf (Nov 1, 2012)

Hi,

I am hoping someone can help me. My mum is wanting Bach's St Mathews Passion for Christmas and she has asked for a well known choir/orchestra version rather than a remix of different ones but I don't have a clue to be honest! Can anyone recommend a version for me to buy her please? 

Thank you in advance!


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## Guest (Nov 1, 2012)

John Eliot Gardner


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

About how old is your Mum? Do you know if she likes the big-name orchestras and choirs of the 60s and 70s or the more recent styles of performance with fewer players and singers?


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## Eelf (Nov 1, 2012)

She is in her 60's. I don't know if she likes the older or more recent styles to be honest ;/ I would say perhaps the bigger ones as when she is in the car with the music on it is very intense and seems to be a lot going on in the music? Sorry I really don't know anything about Classical music at all  Thank you for your replies


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

some guy said:


> John Eliot Gardner


Would probably be my recommendation as well.

Amazon link.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Karajan has one of the "big ones," with an all-star cast. I haven't heard it but it has excellent reviews and I'd give good odds that she'll like it.

http://www.amazon.com/Bach-Matthäus...51802768&sr=1-7&keywords=bach+matthew+passion

Agree on Gardiner (or Herreweghe) but if your Mum hasn't heard of them, she might assume you just picked up any old thing...


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

Furtwangler. That or Karajan are probably the ones she remembers.


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Hey, I'm older than his Mum and I don't remember Furtwangler.


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## bigshot (Nov 22, 2011)

I think it was around 1952. Pretty much of a classic in its day.


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

I really like the John Eliot Gardiner as well.


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## realdealblues (Mar 3, 2010)

For a "Leaner, more historically correct" Bach recording I would recommend either Richter (for an older recording) or Gardiner (for a newer recording).

For an "Old fashioned, Big Orchestra" Bach recording I would recommend Klemperer and then Karajan.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I agree with Realdeal. Gardiner is more dancy, if she prefers lightness. Klemper is more reverential, if she prefers more of a sacred feel.


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## Eelf (Nov 1, 2012)

Thank you all for your suggestions


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

Gardiner. There is a box set of his interpretations of Bach's sacred works that can be had for... a song. Probably cheaper than the Passion alone on Archiv.


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## Eelf (Nov 1, 2012)

KRoad said:


> Gardiner. There is a box set of his interpretations of Bach's sacred works that can be had for... a song. Probably cheaper than the Passion alone on Archiv.


Hi thank you for pointing this out, and sorry for being a pain but is the one in the following link correct?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/J-S-Bach-Christmas-Oratorio-Matthew/dp/B00008RWR9/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_3


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

Herreweghe.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I should also mention, my first recording of the Passion was by Hickox. It was in English. The recording itself is pretty good, and the translation is pretty good, though not exact. It got me familiar enough with the text that now I can listen to the German versions without having to bury my head in the text.


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## KRoad (Jun 1, 2012)

Eelf said:


> Hi thank you for pointing this out, and sorry for being a pain but is the one in the following link correct?
> 
> http://www.amazon.co.uk/J-S-Bach-Christmas-Oratorio-Matthew/dp/B00008RWR9/ref=ntt_mus_ep_dpi_3


No, not this one - but I'm sure the recordings are the same.


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