Bach: St. John Passion / Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien, others

① Concentus Musicus Wien (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) 1965
② Concentus Musicus Wien (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) 1993
③ La Petite Bande (Sigiswald Kuijken) 1990
④ Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin (Andreas Reize) 2024
⑤ Collegium St. Emmeram (Hanns-Martin Schneidt) 1980
⑥ Bach Collegium Japan (Masaaki Suzuki) 2020
⑦ Collegium Vocale Gent (Philippe Herreweghe) 2001
⑧ English Baroque Soloists (John Eliot Gardiner) 2003
⑨ English Baroque Soloists (John Eliot Gardiner) 2022
⑩ Age of Enlightenment Orchestra (Stephen Layton) 2012
⑪ Orchestra of the 18th Century (Frans Brüggen) 2010
⑫ Orchestra of the 18th Century (Frans Brüggen) 1993

Evangelist
① (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) 1965… Kurt Equiluz
② (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) 1993… Anthony Rolfe-Johnson
③ (Sigiswald Kuijken) 1990… Christoph Prégardien
④ (Andreas Reize) 2024… David Fischer
⑤ (Hanns-Martin Schneidt) 1980… Aldo Baldin
⑥ (Masaaki Suzuki) 2020… James Gilchrist
⑦ (Philippe Herreweghe) 2001… Mark Padmore
⑧ (John Eliot Gardiner) 2003… Mark Padmore
⑨ (John Eliot Gardiner) 2022… Nick Pritchard
⑩ (Stephen Layton) 2012… Ian Bostridge
⑪ (Frans Brüggen) 2010… Markus Schaefer
⑫ (Frans Brüggen) 1993… Nico van der Meel

Jesus
① (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) 1965… Max van Egmond
② (Nikolaus Harnoncourt) 1993… Robert Holl
③ (Sigiswald Kuijken) 1990… Max van Egmond
④ (Andreas Reize) 2024… Daniel Ochoa
⑤ (Hanns-Martin Schneidt) 1980… Hans Georg Ahrens
⑥ (Masaaki Suzuki) 2020… Chiyuki Urano
⑦ (Philippe Herreweghe) 2001… Michael Volle
⑧ (John Eliot Gardiner) 2003… Hanno Müller-Brachmann
⑨ (John Eliot Gardiner) 2022… William Thomas
⑩ (Stephen Layton) 2012… Neal Davies
⑪ (Frans Brüggen) 2010… Thomas Oliemans
⑫ (Frans Brüggen) 1993… Kristinn Sigmundsson

The St. John Passion premiered in Leipzig in 1724. Today, this first edition is often performed. Compared to the St. Matthew Passion, it has fewer episodes and is shorter in duration. It unfolds very quickly, from Jesus’ arrest to Peter’s denial. I noticed that there is a gap of 60 years between the oldest recording and the newest. Recording technology is constantly evolving, and various attempts have been made at performance techniques. An overview of this can be felt from these performances.

First, performances ①, ④, and ⑤ use young boys for all soprano, alto, and chorus parts. ① is the “Wiener Sängerknaben”, soloist unknown, ② is the “Thomanerchor Leipzig”, (Leopold Görsch soprano, Konrad Führer alto), ③ is the “Regensburger Domspatzen”, (Frank Sahesch-Pur soprano, Roman Hankeln alto). ① is a recording from the very beginning of early music, and can be said to be a historically valuable source. ② uses a large organ for the basso continuo, and has a heavy overall sound. ③ includes five movements used in the 1725 version as bonus tracks. Personally, I find these boy sopranos and altos attractive.

The remaining nine have women or countertenors singing both the choir and the soloists. The choirs are listed below. ②Arnold Schoenberg Choir, ③La Petite Bande, ⑥Bach Collegium Japan, ⑦Collegium Vocale Gent, ⑧Monteverdi Choir, ⑨Monteverdi Choir, ⑩The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, ⑪Cappella Amsterdam, ⑫Netherlands Chamber Choir.

Nikolaus Harnoncourt released a video of this piece using the Tölzer Knabenchor in 1985, which is also worth checking out. #baroque #bach #passion #片山俊幸
https://excelkobo.net/bachwerke/archive/BWV0245.pdf