Album

The conceit that informs this disc is that Bach and Webern's meditations of life, death, and eternity are essentially complementary, that Bach's Lutheran faith and Baroque aesthetic and Webern's Catholic faith and Modernist aesthetic speak of a shared belief in the luminous and the numinous. Indeed, so pervasive is the conceit that complementary performances of Webern's orchestration of Bach's Ricercata in six voices from The Musical Offering opens and closes the disc. And so successful is the conceit that this otherwise tired trick is incredibly effective. The credit for this success must go to conductor Christoph Poppen, whose conceit it is that informs the disc. From the first notes of the ethereal Ricercata through the spirituality of Webern's string quartet (1905), the dreadful mystery of Bach's Cantata No. 4 "Christ lag in Todesbanden," the sublime transcendence of Webern's Satze (5) für Streichquartett, and back to the ethereal Ricercata, Poppen's interpretation makes a whole aesthetic experience of these seemingly disparate pieces. The singing of the Hilliard Ensemble is powerfully affecting in the cantata and the playing of the Kammerorchester München is superb throughout. ECM's sound is first rate. This is a great spiritual experience and a very great recording.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer The Musical Offering, BWV1079...Part 1: 2 Ricercars Work Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor
1	2.Ricercare a6	8:51			$1.49
Anton Webern Composer String Quartet Work Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor
2	String Quartet	19:25			$3.49
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer Cantata No.4: Christ lag in Todesbanden (Easter Sunday), BWV4 Work 19:36 Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor, Hilliard Ensemble Vocal Ensemble, Gordon Jones Baritone, Monika Mauch Soprano, Rogers Covey-Crump Tenor, David James Countertenor
3	1.Sinfonia in E-; 2.Chorus: Christ lag in Todesbanden	5:17			$0.99
4	3.Duet (Versus 2; Soprano, Alto): Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt	3:52			$0.99
5	4.Aria (Versus 3; Tenor): Jesus Christus, Gottes Sohn	2:03			$0.99
6	5.Chorus (Versus 4): Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg	2:18			$0.99
7	6.Aria (Versus 5; Bass): Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm	3:05			$0.99
8	7.Duet (Versus 6; Soprano, Tenor): So feiern wir das hohe Fest; 8.Chorus (Versus 7): Wir essen und leben wohl	3:01			$0.99
Anton Webern Composer 5 Movements, Op.5 Work 5:19 Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor
9	1.Heftig bewegt	2:53			$0.99
10	2.Sehr langsam	2:26			$0.99
Anton Webern Composer 5 Movements, Op.5 Work Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor
11	3.Sehr lebhaft	0:43			$0.49
Anton Webern Composer 5 Movements, Op.5 Work 5:58 Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor
12	4.Sehr langsam	1:56			$0.49
13	5.In zarter Bewegung	4:02			$0.99
Johann Sebastian Bach Composer The Musical Offering, BWV1079...Part 1: 2 Ricercars Work Munich Chamber Orchestra Orchestra, Christoph Poppen Conductor
14	2.Ricercare a6	9:10			$1.49