s="h3color tiny">This review is from: Bach: Passions; Christmas Oratorio; B minor Mass; Motets (Audio CD)

This companion volume to Warner's newly-reissued set of Werner's Bach Cantata series is somewhat less recommendable than the latter. To begin with, most collectors who incline toward or at least tolerate "traditional" approaches to Bach will already have multiple versions of the two Passions, the B-minor Mass, and the Christmas Oratorio by their favored artists. Secondly, the deficiencies of interpretation and execution which were easier to ignore in the case of the Cantatas become more problematic in the case of these larger-scale works (and in comparison to versions by such figures as Richter, Münchinger, Klemperer, Jochum and many others). On the other hand everything in this box is at least listenable, often very enjoyable, and at its best, quite edifying. The finest performances here--such as the two Passions--are very good indeed, largely thanks to some terrific solo singing by such estimable Bachians as Helmut Krebs, Agnes Giebel, and Barry McDaniel (among others). On...Read more