This recording is the reference for me. Sadly, Professor Biller died in January 2022, who had to suffer from neurological disease and depressions repeatedly in the past. May he now conduct the heavenly choir of angels, joyful and brightly shining, forever!
la sentii per la prima volta che avevo 6 anni. me la regalò mia madre in vista del natale. oggi ne ho 56. e non ho mai smesso di ammirarla: di adorarla: di cantarla tutta nella mente, in quei pochi momenti in cui riesco ancora a ritornare ragazzino; pur sapendo sin da allora. che mi avrebbe sempre accompagnato sino alla fine.
Just the massive and incredibly strong entry of the double orchestra not only blows me away but always makes my eyes heavy with pending tears. And when the two choirs and chorale singers enter with Bach's incredible music, that's it - I am then lost to the world. It chokes me up completely. I have listened to many, many of Bach's works and performed in some of them, but this opening of the St. Matthew Passion is to me (IMHO) Bach's greatest writing. His genius and his ability to write incredibly complex music that is simple and yet so strong, after all, is mind-boggling to me. The opening chorus is written for two orchestras and two choirs and a separate choral choir on top of it all. Nine parts, all different, all singing and playing together - so, so beautiful. Right from the begiing the music just grows and grows in what I can only describe as heavenly beauty. I often think that this is music from the stars and universe that Bach gave to us. At 6:01 is the beginning of the climax - growing and growing so passionately, it always brings tears to my eyes. I love the way Bach wrote this chorus for Choir I and II singing separately, at times in question and answer, Behold! - Whom? - the Bridegroom! Behold Him! - How? - As a Lamb. Behold! - What? - behold the patience, Look! - Where? - at our guilt. And then the simple but poignant chorale being sung on top of the eight parts of the choirs and orchestras and still greatly enhancing the music just amazes me. It's almost like a bright ray of light from a lighthouse probing and guiding. For me it is a perfect example of Bach's genius at contrapuntal writing at its best. This choir and orchestra does such tremendous justice to this beautiful piece of music from the Master. I have to get to Germany soon before I kick the bucket to see and hear this masterful choir. ("I have a dream.") Thank you, xxxxLillian, for providing this on RU-vid - thank you so much. And thank you, Thomanerchor, for such rich and beautiful singing. You make me forget the troubles in this world.
When I first heard a recording of this piece in college, I just didn't get it. Then I decided to listen to it with the score and it blew my mind. I just never heard Bach using a separate chorale layered on top of a double choir. The words they sing fits so perfectly. It's artistry of the highest order.
Fred, a wonderful display of feelings and thought from you. I call our both SAXONIAN choirs the best (in Leipzig and in Dresden)... just at this one in Leipzig, Bach has been the cantor for many years, and he wrote songs for his boys to sing! Cantor Georg Chr. Biller has just written his memories half year ago. I am so lucky to be in Leipzig and in Dresden sometimes, and if whenever possible, I will go to a concert ("motet" at Thomas church) or else in connection with them (there is a choir shop, a Bach museum, etc.). Last time I was even in their Bach complex where they live and are trained. It is overwhelming what the Saxon state or the city are doing for this choir, and they have deserved it. They should exist as such as long as possible, in this high quality! : Well, and this time (last week) I was at the opening of the Leipzig Christmas bazaar where a small dispatch of 10 of them performed Christmas folk songs. Look in my videos.
Thank you! 🙏🏽 I hope you will hear this worlds best choir in your lifetime. It's magical. I have great luck to live near Leipzig. Bach was send from God to make devine music.
Always in search of the ultimate version...that's my quest...or maybe burdon.. the humor of Bach...the master of interpretation... every interpretation is appreciated for it's own style... never enough...and Bach laughing... because it is endless with possibilities. Thank you for posting this one.
Omg. Da ist Harry Potter im Sopran 1^^ Kleiner Spaß; sehr disziplinierter und talentierter Chor! Exzellente Artikulation und gute Höhen. Die Thomaner setzen echte Standarts für alle Knabenchöre Deutschlands.
Thank you for posting. I've been looking for an entire copy of this performance ever since I saw the other Thomanerchor video posted here back in a few years ago. (ended up with getting a copy of 3-CD Matthäus-Passion set ordering form St. Thomas Church bookstore itself). Now it comes to all make sense that this was a broadcast live recording that made over a decade ago. Still a very good quality and such an emotional music! I hope they would do another world tours soon.
The pedal in the celli and basses is inspired! such a clever bit of composition - it really deos emphasise the pain the choir is describing. Incredible performance of an incredible piece
@@Blum-Allende.2024-5- Your opinion that you don't need or care about the intentional performance only shows your lack of musical education. That Bach sounds 'fabulous' anyways only shows his genius, not your musical savvy.
@@thethikboyFirst I don't need your evaluation about my musical education ( or obsession may be in your case ? ) in that matter as in another one. On the other hand old religious rules explain there were no girls in a choir at that time. You seem to know what Bach would have though face to this present performance. I don't. I heared a Bach master piece with saxophones and it was splendid. Have you heard or read in your long life something about aesthetical feeling ? It could help you.
@aquaria85 - The choir is Thomanerchor, or Saint Thomas Choir of Men and Boys, in Leipzig, Germany. The performance is at Saint. Thomas Luthern Church, where Bach worked as a cantor. The recording was not done recently, as the video does not show remodeling of the church which was finished in 2000..
Solange wir können, müssen wir diese Musik loben und preisen. Loben und preisen. Große Werke klingen auch in der elendsten Hütte noch schön. Keiner, ob IM, ob Hippi, obJesus creus superstar kann sie zerstören.
Another very interesting performance of the St. Matthew Passion by the Thomanerchor was made while Leipzig was still within the German Democratic Republic (old East Germany). For that reason alone it is of historical interest, but there are many other aspects that make it appealing, if you can still find it. Erhard Mauserberger was the director of the Thomanerchor of Leipzig, while his brother, Rudolf Mauersberger, was the director of the Dresdner Kreuzchor (Choir of the Dresden Church of the Holy Cross). The two brothers and their choirs teamed with the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester to produce a remarkable recording that included Peter Schreier and the future Thomaskantor, Hans-Joachim Rotzsch. The opening chorus, with very clear separation of the three choirs as planned by Bach, can be heard here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-1oO7hY2J7vY.html One can contemplate the power of Bach to reach hundreds of years beyond his own death to influence political forces in the 20th century, forces that dared not touch his heritage.
frereM: dici cose interessanti! Sono andato a vedere dove indichi e devo convenire che hai ragione: è una interpretazione ottima e il terzo corale si distingue bene. I thomanerchor sono forse i migliori interpreti di Bach: il quinto evangelista..... Saluti dall'Italia.
"Uncle Sam needs lyrics!" Here you go: ^^ Kommt, ihr Töchter, helft mir klagen, come, ye daughters, help me clamour, sehet, wen? den Bräutigam, see, whom? the Bridesgroom, seht ihn, wie? als wie ein Lamm. see him, how? as like a lamb O Lamm Gottes unschuldig Oh lamb of God, innocent am Stamm des Kreuzes geschlachtet at the stem of the cross, slaughtered Sehet, was? seht die Geduld, See, what? see the patience, allzeit erfund'n geduldig all time found patient wiewohl du warest verachtet. all the while thou werest scourned. seht, wohin? auf unsre Schuld, see, where to? upon our guilt, all Sünd hast du getragen, all sin thou hast borne, sonst müßten wir verzagen, or else we must dispair, sehet ihn aus Lieb und Huld see him, out of love and grace, Holz zum Kreuze selber tragen. wood to the cross himself he carries. erbarm dich unser o Jesu. have pity on us, oh Jesus.
C'est emouvant d'écouter le choeur de la Thomaskirche et son Kantor, le successeur de Johann Sebastian Bach et les successeurs de son choeur dans la même église où fut baptisé Richard Wagner...
Die Version des Bachchores mit Karl Richter gefällt mir auch sehr gut, besonders der Knabenchor (Münchner Chorbuben) als Kontra ist perfekt eingesetzt.
I don't get how through melody you can create something so divine. I understand how to compose a simple lullaby. But this.. what is it??? Where is the explanation? Must be the length of the tones and the pauses and maybe the melody going up a lot :D my feeble tries to grasp a bit of this
@ichmalealsobinich Genau deshalb wird es ja um Mitternacht ausgestrahlt. Vor einigen Jahren gab es auch noch alte Aufnahmen des Weihnachtsoratoriums am 24. nachts zu sehen. Das wurde ja gänzlich rausgenommen. Zum Glück hab ich die damals aufgezeichnet.
"Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them: for to such belongs the kingdom of God." - Jesus Christ Infinite thanks to Herr Biller, & Thanks so much dear Lillian for posting this video.
Hearing the disarming celestial purity of a boy's choir, I am haunted every time by a question, in fact a question which was posed by the man to whom the Passion is devoted: Endowed with such powers of innocence, from whence springs the stunning discontinuity posed by armed conflict, by violence surpassing reasoned possibility, by the appalling, ancient or modern, often gratuitous, suffering of men at the hands of other men? The why of war is a question Bach has given these sweet, guileless boys to ask--in song.
@aquaria85 Der TV - Sender Unitel Classica wird die Aufführung am kommenden Mittwochabend senden - z.B. Er gibt an, die Aufnahme sei 1998 entstanden (?). Ist hier eigentlich bereits die gesamte Aufnahme auf YT "anklickbar" ? Übrigens läuft der Dokumentarfilm über die Thomaner jetzt die dritte Woche in Hamburg.
Anlässlich einer Veröffentlichung der gesamten aktuellen Aufführung dieses Bach-Werkes auf YT durch einen französischen User hat sich ARTE als Inhaberin des copyrights soeben erfolgreich wegen der Urheberrechtsverletzung bei YT beschwert...
You mean Lalo Shiffrin’s rendition of it that played at the end of the movie? Oh, most definitely. That is my favorite version of this piece. In fact, THX 1138 is how I first heard of it to begin with when I finally watched it last year to celebrate its 50th anniversary. At the time, I didn’t know the ending music was a rendition of one of Johan Sebastian Bach‘s works. And then when I did by listening to the whole thing, it already became one of my favorite pieces of classical music alongside the Blue Danube and Ode to Joy.
I'm sorry for my bad english. I believe that the rhytm in the celli and basses should reminds us about what happend to Jesus when they nailed him to the cross. In our days near no one listening to the smith while working. But in the 1700 every community needed a smith. The rhytm from his work was well known by anyone at that time, but not today. The symbolic can only working at higt tempo: BANG-ba, BANG-ba, BANG-ba, BANG-ba etc. What do you think?
@aquaria85 Naja, ich habe Insiderinformationen (kenne einige, die bei der Aufnahme mitsangen) und habe gehört, es seien die Chorbuben aber vielleicht hast du ja auch Recht, ich muss noch mal nachfragen.
This is really great! Respecting the tradicion of the time of Bach. But I would like to hear an aria singing for one of these kids - i haven´t found in YTube yet. I just know the Harnouncourt recording of the St John Passion, and the arias is not very good. Too much dificult to a kid sings. The arias are dificult to an adult singer, imagine to a kid.
