Staatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Mauersberger – Bach: Hohe Messe in h-Moll BWV 232 / Mass in B minor BWV 232 [2 SACDs] (1958/2021) [SACD / Berlin Classics x Tower Record – 0302062BC]
![Staatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Mauersberger - Bach: Hohe Messe in h-Moll BWV 232 / Mass in B minor BWV 232 [2 SACDs] (1958/2021)](https://imghd.xyz/images/2025/01/18/c2debc43ccf85358b04a088a908d52da.jpg "Staatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Mauersberger - Bach: Hohe Messe in h-Moll BWV 232 / Mass in B minor BWV 232 [2 SACDs] (1958/2021)")
Title: Staatskapelle Dresden, Rudolf Mauersberger – Bach: Hohe Messe in h-Moll BWV 232 / Mass in B minor BWV 232 [2 SACDs] (1958/2021)
Genre: Classical
Format: SACD ISO
The latest reissue of the fantastic 1958 stereo recording of the “Mass in B minor,” a masterpiece! On the 50th anniversary of Rudolf Mauersberger’s death, this is a new reissue from the original ETERNA analog tapes in the country of origin. World’s first SACD release! Mastered only in the analog domain and directly converted to DSD! The 13th SACD hybridization of the latest reissue project of ETERNA’s original analog tapes in Japan. A fantastic masterpiece that was not released in the West in the LP era: In 1958, famous singers from East and West Germany gathered in Dresden to form the Dresden Holy Cross Choir, which has a pre-Bach tradition, The best part of the recording is the chorus. The best listening is in the chorus, which prioritizes human warmth over transparent textural expression, with the large group of singers listening to each other’s parts and joining their hearts together to create a wellspring of harmony. The way in which Bach’s counterpoint writing is depicted in an extremely majestic manner is breathtaking. The stylistic unity and balance with the austere and subdued tone of the orchestra proves the excellent musicianship and solid technique of the conductor, and the singers include Adam from the Dresden Holy Cross Choir, three famous singers from the West, Stauder’s shining and beautiful voice, Wagner’s richly shaded voice, and Heflinger’s soft and gentle voice. Heflinger’s soft and gentle singing adds to the mix, making this a truly perfect recording. The first stereo recording also captures the full scale and flavor of the performance, making it a truly representative masterpiece of its time. This album has never been released in Japan even after the CD era; it was recorded between October and November 1958, and the original monaural LP was released the following year only in the former East German territories. The original monaural LP was released the following year only in the former East Germany, followed by a monaural reissue in 1963 and a stereo reissue in 1968, followed by a highlight version in 1969. The jacket design of this reissue is the same as the one used for the first monaural release in 1959 (the main visual of the stereo version is almost the same as the monaural version. The stereo version of the album is also unchanged, but the stereo indication is added to the lower right corner of the jacket.) The master tapes were flown from the label to Vienna-based mastering engineer Christoph Stickel’s studio for mastering in the analog domain, and then digitized separately to DSD for the SACD layer and PCM for the CD layer. The project was then digitized into a product. 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 left on the master tapes 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 the previous version that further appreciation of the performance can be expected. The manual also includes a photograph of the outer box of the original analog master tape used in this project.
