Johann David Heinichen: Two Passion Oratorios

by Michael Alexander Willens, Koelner Akademie

Overview

The music of Bach's contemporary Johann David Heinichen has been slow to find rediscovery and solid performances of his works like these from the Koelner Akademie and director Michael Alexander Willens are most welcome. Heinichen traveled to Venice, where he soaked up new developments in Italian music, and then found employment at the court of Augustus the Strong in Dresden. As with Bach, his encounter with Italian music affected his style profoundly. These are not just Passion Oratorios, as the English translations here have it, but cantate al sepolcro di nostro Signore ("cantatas at of Christ's open tomb"), a specifically Italian genre that Heinichen introduced to Germany (although raised Protestant, he had no scruples about writing music for the Catholic court in Dresden). "Cantatas" would be a better translation than "oratorios"; although there are a few choruses -- sung here simply by the quartet of soloists -- the focus is on contemplative arias. The elimination of the chorus is certainly debatable, given the fact that the indicated "coro" means "chorus," but it works well enough considering the limited role of the chorus. The two works are in Italian, and both pieces hold interest through their high literary value, with distinctive concepts; Come? S'imbruna al ciel is focused on the earthquake said to have coincided with Christ's crucifixion, while L'aride tempie ignude is an allegory depicting Death, Hope, Divine Love, and Penitence superimposed on the Passion story. The arias are realized with many influences from Italian opera seria, and the singers here have compelling ways of inhabiting the roles. Consider the arias for the contralto Mary in Come? S'imbruna al ciel, especially "Lato, mani, pie forati," with its varied orchestration. CPO contributes fine sound from a Wuppertal church, and the players have a relaxed, unfussy but precise sound. These works would hold up well on any program devoted to Bach, and Willens and company deserve credit for bringing them into the light. ~ James Manheim

Product Details

Release Date:	06/03/2022
Label:	Cpo
UPC:	0761203550722
Rank:	165885

Tracks

1. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Coro. Come? S'imbrune il ciel!
2. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Coro. E lumi e cor non ha chi lagrimar
3. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Ben ha cor di Giudeo
4. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Aria. Mio Ges¿¿, dolce adorato
5. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Che miro?
6. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo accompagnato. O qual duro penar!
7. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Aria. Genti, genti
8. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Addolorata ed adorate Madre
9. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Aria. Madre, non isdegnar
10. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Madre in Amor
11. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Aria. Lato, mani, pi¿¿ forati
12. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. O cieli?
13. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Duetto. Croce mal nata
14. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Qual rigore di padrel
15. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Miseri ch'habbiam fatto?
16. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Aria. Mia Sion, che facesti?
17. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Recitativo. Piani popolo mio
18. Come? S'imbruna il ciel! Occhi piangete!~Coro. Alla croce alme redente
19. L' aride tempie ignude~Sinfonia
20. L' aride tempie ignude~Recitativo. L'aride tempie ignude
21. L' aride tempie ignude~Aria. Di mia vittoria su questa tomba
22. L' aride tempie ignude~Recitativo. Non dir superba Gloria dell'armi tue d'un dio la morte
23. L' aride tempie ignude~Aria. Di Gies¿¿ tenere viscere
24. L' aride tempie ignude~Aria. E non ti sfacci cuor dispietato
25. L' aride tempie ignude~Accompagnato. Marmi, ch'estino il sommo ben chiudete
26. L' aride tempie ignude~Recitativo. Lagrime avventurose
27. L' aride tempie ignude~Aria. Qual pianta
28. L' aride tempie ignude~Recitativo accompagnato. Erger ti ardisci al favellar di spene
29. L' aride tempie ignude~Recitativo. Per accendere altrui del vivo zelo
30. L' aride tempie ignude~Coro. Quel core sincere sol giunge

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Michael Alexander Willens   Primary Artist,Conductor
Koelner Akademie   Primary Artist,Orchestra
Elena Harsanyi   Soprano (Vocal)
Elvira Bill   Alto (Vocals)
Andreas Wolf   Baritone (Vocal)
Mirko Ludwig   Tenor (Vocal)

Technical Credits

Johannes Tebbe   Assistant Engineer
Tobias Hentze   Photography
Antonio De Sarlo   Language Coach
Adrienne Meister   Photography
Johannes Kammann   Recording Producer
Christiane Lehnigk   Executive Producer
Burkhard Schmilgun   Executive Producer
Ines Kammann   Balance Engineer
Hermann Baus   Photography
Michael Heinemann   Liner Notes
Michelangelo   Cover Art
Lothar Bruweleit   Design
Dirk Schelpmeier   Photography
Claerchen Baus   Photography
Matthias Baus   Photography
Stephanie Wollny   Liner Note Translation
Oscar Van Beest   Photography
Johann David Heinichen   Composer