In year 1979 i was in Merseburg, near Halle an der Saale, on an youth visit program, i was a teen; back then it was still DDR. I made it to Leipzig on my own, a feat that wondered both italian and german minders, just to visit Thomaner Kirche and have a photo at Bach's feet , the very, iconic statue featured in this video ( these days they're called "selfies" ...) Non only did i make it ( unfortunately the photo is lost today!) but while there I could sit in the pews through the reharse of some undefined baroque piece by the organist. Definitely a most "Stendahl syndrome" moment and a very fond and emotional memory. Mind I was too young to appreciate that there was also the very first seat of what later became and still is my favourite Bach perfomer, the incomparable Karl Richter. Coincidence.
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott as the words convey is a hymn of strength; a hymn with a purpose. "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing..." cannot be performed in a lack-luster way. Yet so many occasions that is exactly how it is performed. Karl Richter listened with his heart and used his great talent to interpret the lyrics. Bach led the way and Richter followed. This piece, as both Bach and Richter well-understood, requires a fanfare of trumpets and the force of conviction. Bravo Maestro.
Sorry, but Bach himself wrote the parts for trumpet and Timpani... because of the motivic material. The Choral (in the trumpets) is an imminent part of the counterpoint and so why shouldn't Bach himself wrote it?!?
@@michaelm5926 I don't think any scholars any more think that JS Bach used trumpets in this. He wrote the chorale tune for oboes, not for trumpets, but it is thought that his son WF Bach added trumpets and also added timpani. Me, I like it both ways, depending on the performance.
No, Bach improved it. Vastly improved it. I’m a lapsed Catholic, so I really don’t have skin in the game anymore, so to speak. But the Popes were like the French kings-they liked their ecclesiastical and court music repetitive and a bit dumb. Like Lully. (No offense to those who like Lully.) Even Vivaldi was a bit too out there for the conservative Catholic Church-that’s why Vivaldi’s superiors kept reprimanding him. When Bach dabbled in Catholic mass music to gain the ear of a Catholic monarch, like the Magnificat or Mass in B Minor, he was miraculous. Bach definitely improved religious and all music by a tremendous amount.
The second movement is perhaps one of the most difficult bass arias to sing in tune, with all the melismas, scales, and so on. It would be nice to hear Yo Yo Ma substitute with the precise intonation of a virtuoso cello. If Dieskau were around to rate his own performance, I am sure he would regard the intonation of this effort a bit wobbly. Don't get me wrong, lots of it is great, but the bad moments can't be covered up.
Hallo Herr Möller, das ist nun wirklich arg flach. Wenn Sie Richters Besetzungsusancen nicht teilen, lässt sich das - auch überspitzt - sicherlich etwas respektvoller realisieren. So hauen Sie arg daneben mit diesem Bild.
Nessuno come Richter. Best versione for ever. Bravo!
La prima cantata di Bach che ho ascoltato in vita mia.
Indeed, the Lord is our mighty fortress!!!!!
In year 1979 i was in Merseburg, near Halle an der Saale, on an youth visit program, i was a teen; back then it was still DDR. I made it to Leipzig on my own, a feat that wondered both italian and german minders, just to visit Thomaner Kirche and have a photo at Bach's feet , the very, iconic statue featured in this video ( these days they're called "selfies" ...) Non only did i make it ( unfortunately the photo is lost today!) but while there I could sit in the pews through the reharse of some undefined baroque piece by the organist. Definitely a most "Stendahl syndrome" moment and a very fond and emotional memory. Mind I was too young to appreciate that there was also the very first seat of what later became and still is my favourite Bach perfomer, the incomparable Karl Richter. Coincidence.
Alto Vocals - Trudeliese Schmidt
Bass Vocals - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Choir - Münchener Bach-Chor
Composed By - Johann Sebastian Bach
Directed By - Karl Richter
Engineer - Hans-Peter Schweigmann
Orchestra - Münchener Bach-Ensemble
Producer - Dr. Gerd Ploebsch
Soprano Vocals - Edith MAthis
Tenor Vocals - Peter Schreier
℗ 1979, Polydor International GmbH
Gelobt sei Jesus Christus!
Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott as the words convey is a hymn of strength; a hymn with a purpose. "A mighty fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing..." cannot be performed in a lack-luster way. Yet so many occasions that is exactly how it is performed.
Karl Richter listened with his heart and used his great talent to interpret the lyrics. Bach led the way and Richter followed. This piece, as both Bach and Richter well-understood, requires a fanfare of trumpets and the force of conviction.
Bravo Maestro.
Un pur chef d'oeuvre à tous les niveaux !
Stupenda!!!!
Beautiful. Beautiful.
Magnificent inspirational performance!
HEAVENLY !
...and those voices!
Sublime Bach, inolvidable Richter
"Inovidable" = unforgettable!
Why is this so magnificent.
It was written by Bach and conducted by Richter.
There is no composer but Bach and Richter is his prophet.
Grande Carl davvero muscolare la tua performance degna della festa della riforma
A great traditional version. An interesting contrast - hearing the piece performed with one voice per choral part.
This is the version with the trumpets. My favourite.
TalliferUpplands One of Bach's sons added trumpet and timpani after he died. People argue about whether or not it's authentic. :)
Sorry, but Bach himself wrote the parts for trumpet and Timpani... because of the motivic material. The Choral (in the trumpets) is an imminent part of the counterpoint and so why shouldn't Bach himself wrote it?!?
@@michaelm5926 I don't think any scholars any more think that JS Bach used trumpets in this. He wrote the chorale tune for oboes, not for trumpets, but it is thought that his son WF Bach added trumpets and also added timpani. Me, I like it both ways, depending on the performance.
This is my favorite cantata. This version is mind-blowing. I've read that CPE added the brass. Who cares? 💯
resembles bach so much
also the famous baritone Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
He sounds uncomfortable with the aria.
😍😍😍
No.1 0:00
No.5 15:15
No.8 24:59
Yes! Karl Richter.
I am Roman Catholic, but I like this music. Bach improved it. Lol I'm just kidding...
No, Bach improved it. Vastly improved it. I’m a lapsed Catholic, so I really don’t have skin in the game anymore, so to speak. But the Popes were like the French kings-they liked their ecclesiastical and court music repetitive and a bit dumb. Like Lully. (No offense to those who like Lully.) Even Vivaldi was a bit too out there for the conservative Catholic Church-that’s why Vivaldi’s superiors kept reprimanding him. When Bach dabbled in Catholic mass music to gain the ear of a Catholic monarch, like the Magnificat or Mass in B Minor, he was miraculous. Bach definitely improved religious and all music by a tremendous amount.
on the left is the famous tenor Peter Schreier
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (Bass-Baritone)
on the right is the famous sopran Anna Reynolds
Edith Mathis (Soprano)
Did you spot the basis Josef Eisenzopf?
Trudeliese Schmidt is the alto in this recording, not Anna Reynolds !!
a bit busy...not so sure Herr Lother/Luther would appreciate.
Martin Luther was a fan of polyphony. And he loved Josquin Des Prez one of the greatest polyphonic composer of that time.
That Richter guy looks a little like the young Orson Welles, am I wrong?
It´s the singer Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, I guess
You're right.
Sublime as everybody and everything else in this performance.
I was just thinking that!
Dietrich Fischer Dieskau, great singer, but in Movement 2, he is so out of tune it's painful.
Where, exactly?
The second movement is perhaps one of the most difficult bass arias to sing in tune, with all the melismas, scales, and so on. It would be nice to hear Yo Yo Ma substitute with the precise intonation of a virtuoso cello. If Dieskau were around to rate his own performance, I am sure he would regard the intonation of this effort a bit wobbly. Don't get me wrong, lots of it is great, but the bad moments can't be covered up.
In my opinion his best work was lieder, especially Schubert. This style of singing is not his forte.
In my opinion Fischer Dieskau is a sublime Bach interpreter.
I think you’re right but Yo Yo Ma overrated.
Bach a la Sondermeldung WK II
Hallo Herr Möller, das ist nun wirklich arg flach. Wenn Sie Richters Besetzungsusancen nicht teilen, lässt sich das - auch überspitzt - sicherlich etwas respektvoller realisieren. So hauen Sie arg daneben mit diesem Bild.