A Christmas Greeting from Bach Collegium Japan

Although I'm far more of a "Happy Holidays" audiophile than anything else, the prospect of a high-resolution Christmas-themed recording from Masaaki Suzuki and his superb Bach Collegium Japan led me to their new hybrid SACD issue from BIS, Verbum caro factum est: A Christmas Greeting (BIS-2291). Auditioned as a 24/96 stereo download—downloading or streaming are the only ways to access the recording immediately, and in format choices that include surround—Masaaki Suzuki's recording managed to bring smiles, warmth, and good cheer to this admittedly down-on-religion Grinch.

The recording begins and ends with two different 15th century arrangements of "Verbum caro factum est", a medieval hymn to the Virgin Mary. The first version introduces us to Aki Matsui, a truly marvelous soprano member of Bach Collegium Japan who also solos in the trio version of the hymn at disc's end.

Between many of the sung selections, organist Masato Suzuki takes to the lovely, baroque styled 1983 Marc Garnier organ of the Shoin University Chapel, Kobe, Japan to perform settings of French carols by Louis-Claude Daquin. While the Garnier organ sounds nowhere as big and bass-rich as I expect from the big organ in Tokyo's Suntory Hall, where Masaaki Suzuki and Bach Collegium Japan have performed their Christmas program since 2013, the sound will still fill the space between, above, and around your speakers if you listen in hi-rez and turn up the volume.

Masato Suzuki is also responsible for the unusual carol arrangements, which have been published in the Bach Collegium Japan Christmas Carol Book. There are many harmonically-unusual intros, bridges, and interludes that you've never heard before, and that add freshness to such chestnuts as Gruber's "Silent Night," "In Dulci Jubilo," "The First Noel," the Jewish-born Mendelssohn's "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," and "Adeste Fideles." If you don't look at the liner notes beforehand, you'll be hard pressed to guess what familiar melody is about to break free when many of these carols begin.

One of my favorites on this recording is the beautiful all-woman rendition of the 15th century carol, "In dulci jubilo. Another is the unusually hushed opening of "The First Noel." Intentional or not, the opening to "Adeste fideles"—I am not going to give it away—is hilarious.

If you're searching for last-minute holiday music, or if you love the sound of Masaaki Suzuki's wonderful choral ensemble, this recording is for you. The air-filled, three-dimensional presentation is as excellent as the singing, and the organ interludes are a special bonus.

Happy Holidays, one and all.

COMMENTS
jimtavegia's picture

Stunning work. Thanks for sharing.

Vade Forrester's picture

My new fave Christmas recording. Thanks for calling it to our attention.

Merry Christmas

Vade Forrester
Reviewer, SoundStage! Network and The Absolute Sound
My words = My thoughts.

Jason Victor Serinus's picture

One of my most beloved sopranos, the great Lotte Lehmann, was in the midst of a series of U.S. radio broadcasts when the invasion of Pearl Harbor occurred and the United States joined the war against the Third Reich. With German-born sopranos - well, she was actually born in Prussia, but she was considered German - now considered unacceptable on the airwaves, Lehmann, who had moved to Santa Barbara, bid farewell to the airwaves with these four Christmas carols: http://lottelehmannleague.org/2018/lotte-lehmann-christmas/.

Please make allowances for the fact that Lehmann was 53, and had a voice that mirrored her emotional state. One of her most beloved conductors, Bruno Walter, as well as a number of her colleagues were Jewish, and her stepchildren, who came to her through her first marriage, were considered Jewish by the Reich because their mother was Jewish.

When Lehmann fled Austria in 1937, she knew full well that the old order in which she was raised was coming to an end. You can hear this in her voice.

My thanks to Gary Hickling of the Lotte Lehmann League for sending this link to me and others on his mailing list.

John Atkinson's picture
Vade Forrester wrote:
My words = My thoughts.

A writer was once asked what he thought about something. "I don't know, I haven't written about it yet," he replied.

Writing crystallizes the thought, not the other way around.

Vade Forrester wrote:
Merry Christmas

And to you.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

Bogolu Haranath's picture

"Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers" ......... T. S. Eliot :-) .....

Bogolu Haranath's picture

"Only kings, presidents, editors and people with tapeworms have the right to use the editorial 'we' " ......... Mark Twain :-) ..........

volvic's picture

Nice finding old performances from great masters, love O Tannenbaum, will play this all day, her message in Silent Night of love and peace and eradicating hatred still rings true today. One clarification, I believe Bruno Walter had early in his life converted to Catholicism, quite willingly, as later in life he was quite devout. His ashes were spread in a Catholic cemetery. Of course as stated, he was still considered Jewish to the Nazi’s. I often wonder the heights he would have reached had he been allowed to conduct in Vienna. I’ll take this moment to wish all A blessed Christmas and a Happy and Prosperous New Year.

Jason Victor Serinus's picture

I really didn't know Walter's religious history. What's interesting is that, when conducting a search on the web, one finds entirely different things from reference to reference. He converted to Catholicism, he probably converted to Catholicism, he converted early in life, he converted late in life. There's even an article by a professor who mentions that he conducted Ezio Pinza, who is referenced as a baritone. (Pinza was a bass.)

I read that his conversion was "sincere," whatever that means. What I'd like to know is the extent to which anti-semitism figured in his conversion. For this, I need to search out a definitive biography.

I can only imagine the pressure that Walter, Mahler, Klemperer, Schoenberg, Mendelssohn and so many more were under. All converted to Christianity, and all were treated as Jews regardless. (Mendelssohn wasn't alive when Hitler came to power, of course, but his music was not played.) This makes the rise of openly Jewish American conductors Leonard Bernstein and Michael Tilson Thomas even more significant.

volvic's picture

The dates I have seen are from 1894-99, which is early in his career. He also reluctantly changed his name from Schlesinger to Walter, the reasons are many; from being associated with Silesians, too being too Jewish etc, one thing is certain is that he was very reluctant to change his name. Anti Semitism and the rise of Nazism robbed the world of one of the greatest conductors ability to collaborate with the VPO. The performances we have of him during that period are among the finest in my collection of any conductor I ha e ever heard. In my opinion he may have been one of the greatest that ever lived.

volvic's picture

That what is even more significant in my opinion, is that the BPO chose as its conductor to replace Rattle, a conductor who would have been unimaginable 70 years ago in Kirill Petrenko- a Russian who is of Jewish descent. I believe this is even more significant than Bernstein and Thomas' rise in the US. The few concerts I have seen of him leads me to believe this was an outstanding choice by the Berliners. Things ha e changed and for the better.

jimtavegia's picture

I opened their eyes to what the world was in my day, and before and what my grandparents had experienced fleeing Mussolini. Most children today have little idea what atrocities were in store for the world. We read the material twice to let it sink in and then discussed it. Eye-opening for them. This cannot be forgotten.

Jason Victor Serinus's picture

please see my annual capsule summary in San Francisco's Bay Area Reporter: https://www.ebar.com/arts_&_culture/music/269900

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