Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Rudolf Mauersberger – Bach: Matthaeus Passion BWV 244 / St. Matthew’s Passion BWV 244 [3 SACDs] (1970/2021) [SACD / Berlin Classics x Tower Record – 0302061BC ]

Title: Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Rudolf Mauersberger – Bach: Matthaeus Passion BWV 244 / St. Matthew’s Passion BWV 244 [3 SACDs] (1970/2021)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO

The monumental masterpiece recorded in 1970 by the former East Germany with all its efforts is reproduced in the best sound quality ever. On the 50th anniversary of Rudolf Mauersberger’s death, it was newly reissued from the original ETERNA analog tapes in its home country. World’s first SACD release! Mastered only in the analog domain and converted directly to DSD! This is the 13th SACD hybrid version of the latest reissue of the original ETERNA analog tapes in Japan. The two prestigious East German choirs led by the Mauersberger brothers in 1970 were the Dresden Holy Cross Choir on the left and the Leipzig St. Thomas Church Choir on the right, and together with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, they recorded “Matthew” in analog stereo at Luke’s Church in Dresden. The smoky silver tone and humble performance attitude dedicated to the work were captured in the best possible conditions. The warmth of sound and rich emotion in the chorale is now unheard of, and as the work progresses, the colors of sorrow deepen, beautifully depicting the scenes of the Passion story. The singers are all East German, with Schreier and Adam from the Dresden Choir of the Holy Cross singing with a beautiful voice that is one of a kind, showing a dramatic tension building in their clean, beautiful voices. This performance is what most listeners would agree is the “authentic” Matthew. This recording is a masterpiece representing ETERNA as a recording of the best members of the former East Germany at that time. The recording has been reissued several times, but the appearance of this high-quality disc with renewed sound quality is noteworthy. The recording was made by the famous engineer Streuben, and the breath of the chorus and the atmosphere and realism of the recording location are outstanding. The soloist, 35-year-old Schreier, is a masterpiece. He has been the Evangelist in many recordings, and this disc is considered the best of them all. The chorus is also very skillful and of a high level, which is unique to the former East Germany, and is a great feature of this recording. Furthermore, the Mauersberger brothers’ recording of the Mauersberger Chorus is a compilation of the Mauersberger Brothers’ works, as their older brother Rudolf died the year after this recording was made. For this reissue, the master tapes were flown from the label to the studio of Vienna-based mastering engineer Christoph Stickel, where they were mastered in the analog domain, and then digitized separately in DSD for the SACD layer and PCM for the CD layer. Then, the digitalization was done in two separate systems, DSD for SACD layer and PCM for CD layer. This project realized the ideal method of mastering as far as currently conceivable. The effect is remarkable: it is now possible to reproduce the quality that was left on the master tape with extreme fidelity, and the mastering and direct DSD conversion in the analog domain only has even greater sonic benefits. The result is a performance that is so clear and resolved compared to its predecessor that further appreciation of the performance can be expected. The manual also includes a color photo of the outer box of the original analog master tape used in this project.

hraudio | tower.jp | discogs

Tracklist:

Disc 1
Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244
01. 1. Chorus, Kommt, ihr Tochter, helft mir klagen (8:51)
02. 2. Evangelista, Jesus, Da Jesus diese Rede vollendet hatte (0:56)
03. 3. Choral, Herzliebster Jesu, was hast du verbrochen (0:59)
04. 4. Evangelista, Da versammleten sich die Hohenpriester (3:37)
05. 5. Rezitativ (Alt), Du lieber Heiland du (0:56)
06. 6. Aria (Alt), Buss und Reu (4:47)
07. 7. Evangelista,Judas, Da ging hin der Zwolfen einer (0:40)
08. 8. Aria (Sopran), Blute nur, du liebes Herz (4:44)
09. 9. Evangelista, Aber am ersten Tage der susen Brot (2:32)
10. 10. Choral, Ich bin’s, ich sollte busen (0:57)
11. 11. Evangelista,Jesus, Er antwortete und sprach (4:08)
12. 12. Rezitativ (Sopran), Wiewohl mein Herz in Tranen schwimmt (1:25)
13. 13. Aria (Sopran), Ich will dir mein Herze schenken (4:10)
14. 14. Evangelista, Jesus, Und da sie den Lobgesang gesprochen hatten (1:17)
15. 15. Choral, Erkenne mich, mein Huter (1:14)
16. 16. Evangelista, Jesus, Petrus, Petrus aber antwortete und sprach zu ihm (1:25)
17. 17. Choral, Ich will hier bei dir stehen (1:16)
18. 18. Evangelista, Jesus, Da kam Jesus mit ihnen zu einem Hofe (2:02)
19. 19. Rezitativ mit Chor, O Schmerz! hier zittert das gequalte Herz (1:44)
20. 20. Aria (Tenor) mit Chor, Ich will bei meinem Jesu wachen (5:30)
21. 21. Evangelista, Jesus, Und ging hin ein wenig (0:56)
22. 22. Recitativo (Bass), Der Heiland fallt vor seinem Vater nieder (1:14)
23. 23. Aria (Bass), Gerne will ich mich bequemen (4:22)
24. 24. Evangelista, Jesus, Und er kam zu seinen Jungern (1:39)
25. 25. Choral, Was mein Gott will, das g’scheh allzeit (1:17)
26. 26. Evangelista, Jesus, Judas, Und er kam und fand sie aber schlafend (2:35)
27. 27. Aria (Sopran,Alt,Chor), So ist mein Jesus nun gefangen (5:13)
28. 28. Evangelista, Jesus, Und siehe, einer aus denen (3:06)
29. 29. Choral, O Mensch, bewein dein’ Sunde gross (6:20)

Disc 2
Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244
01. 30. Aria (Alt,Chor), Ach, nun ist mein Jesus hin (4:16)
02. 31. Evangelista, Die aber Jesum gegriffen hatten (1:08)
03. 32. Choral, Mir hat die Welt truglich gericht’ (0:53)
04. 33. Evangelista, Pontifex, Testis I, II, Und wiewohl viel falsche Zeugen herzutraten (1:14)
05. 34. Recitativo (Tenor), Mein Jesus schweigt zu falschen Lugen stille (0:51)
06. 35. Aria (Tenor), Geduld (4:09)
07. 36. Evangelista, Pontifex, Jesus, Und der Hohepriester antwortet (2:30)
08. 37. Choral, Wer hat dich so geschlagen (1:03)
09. 38. Evangelista, Ancilla I, II, Petrus, Petrus aber sas drausen im Palast (2:38)
10. 39. Aria (Alt), Erbarme dich (7:10)
11. 40. Choral, Bin ich gleich von dir gewichen (1:09)
12. 41. Evangelista, Judas, Des Morgens aber hielten alle Hohepriester (1:51)
13. 42. Aria (Bass), Gebt mir meinen Jesum wieder (3:21)
14. 43. Evangelista, Pilatus, Jesus, Sie hielten aber einen Rat (2:19)
15. 44. Choral, Befiehl du deine Wege (1:16)
16. 45. Evangelista, Pilatus, Uxor Pilati, Chori, Auf das Fest aber hatte der Landpfleger Gewohnheit (2:40)
17. 46. Choral, Wie wunderborlich ist doch diese Strafe (1:02)
18. 47. Evangelista, Pilatus, Der Landpfleger sagte (0:19)
19. 48. Recitativo (Sopran), Er hat uns allen wohlgetan (1:20)
20. 49. Aria (Sopran), Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben (4:22)
21. 50. Evangelista, Sie schrieen aber noch mehr (2:09)
22. 51. Recitativo (Alt), Erbarm es Gott! (0:58)
23. 52. Aria (Alt), Konnen Tranen meiner Wangen (6:48)
24. 53. Evangelista, Da nahmen die Kriegsknechte (1:05)
25. 54. Choral, O Haupt voll Blut und Wunden (2:48)

Disc 3
Matthäus-Passion, BWV 244
01. 55. Evangelista, Und da sie ihn verspottet hatten (0:52)
02. 56. Rcitativo (Bass), Ja freilich will in uns das Fleisch und Blut (0:42)
03. 57. Aria (Bass), Komm, susses Kreuz (6:04)
04. 58. Evangelista, Und da sie an die Statte kamen (3:56)
05. 59. Recitativo (Alt), Ach, Golgatha (1:40)
06. 60. Aria (Alt,Chor), Sehet, Jesus hat die Hand (3:42)
07. 61. Evangelista, Jesus, Und von der sechsten Stunde an (2:43)
08. 62. Choral, Wenn ich einmal soll scheiden (1:54)
09. 63. Evangelista, Und siehe da, der Vorhang im Tempel zerriss (1:49)
10. 64. Rcitativo (Bass), Am Abend, da es kuhle war (3:25)
11. 65. Aria (Bass), Mache dich, mein Herze, rein (7:19)
12. 66. Evangelista, Und Joseph nahm den Leib (2:53)
13. 67. Recitativo mit Chor, Nun ist der Herr zur Ruh gebracht (2:34)
14. 68. Chorus, Wir setzen uns mit Tranen nieder (6:54)

Personnel:

Peter Schreier, tenor
Theo Adam, bass
Siegfried Vogel, bass
Adele Stolte, soprano
Annelies Burmeister, alto
Hans-Johachim Rotzsch, tenor
Günther Leib, bass
Thomanerchor Leipzig
Dresdner Kreuzchor
Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Rudolf Mauersberger, conductor

Note:

Recorded at the Lukaskirche, Dresden on 22.I-4.II.1970

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