Musik / kor

Christus am Ölberge


Anmeldelser (9)


Limelight magazine

d. 11. nov. 2020

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Tony Way

d. 11. nov. 2020

"Rattle leads a fine, modern recording of a Beethoven curiosity".


The independent

d. 20. jan. 2020

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Michael Church

d. 20. jan. 2020

"Backed by London Symphony Chorus, the soloists in this performance are well up to the challenge, bass David Soar providing the grounding over which tenor Pavol Breslik, as Jesus, sings out with noble plangency, while the sound of soprano Elsa Dreisig, as the Seraph, rings angelically through the hall. Dense with musical ideas, the work seems to hold in embryo many other works which will surface later in Beethoven's oeuvre, but as the thinnish drama unfolds one has the sense of a heroic musical conception seeking - but not finding - a commensurately substantial libretto".


AllMusic

2020

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James Manheim

2020

"Christus am Ölberge, Op. 85 (Christ on the Mount of Olives), is Beethoven's only oratorio. It is one of the composer's least-performed major works, and aside from a few historically oriented performances, even recordings have been sparse in the 21st century. However, Sir Simon Rattle, in this live London Symphony Orchestra performance from 2019, gives the work a fresh look and makes a good case for it ... The live performance context, too, helps the work come alive. Listeners who haven't given this oratorio a spin for a while will want to check this performance out".


MusicWeb international

2023 February

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Stephen Barber (musikanmelder)

2023 February

"Recording of the month: Here is a work of Beethoven which is both major and neglected, his only oratorio Christus am Ölberge ... Apparently it was quite popular in the nineteenth century, but in recent times performances have become rare and there is only a handful of recordings ... Herreweghe is clearly committed to the work and has inspired his singers and players to give of their best ... Despite what you may have heard about it, this is an example of first-rate Beethoven and this recording does it proud".


Presto classical

d. 30. nov. 2020

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Katherine Cooper

d. 30. nov. 2020

"Editor's choices - November 2020: Composed around the same time as the Eroica Symphony and the Piano Concerto No. 3, Beethoven's passion-oratorio gets relatively few outings in comparison with his other choral works, but Rattle and the LSO perform it with blazing conviction on this live recording from earlier this year; Pavol Breslik is an ardent, impassioned and very human Jesus, whilst Elsa Dreisig is appropriately radiant as the Seraph, retaining her celestial poise even as Beethoven's typically uncompromising vocal writing takes her to high C and beyond".


MusicWeb international

2020 December

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Paul Corfield Godfrey

2020 December

"Actually it is in the choral sections that this performance really catches fire, with some 150 singers giving us Beethoven on a truly grand scale ... Both the tenor and soprano soloists aim for a Mozartean scale rather than a fully heroic presentation, which may rob some of the most emotional moments of visceral thrills but at least ensures that their command of the more elaborate passages in their music is never in doubt. Pavol Breslik is no Florestan, but his diction is good and precise ... Elsa Dreisig pecks slightly at her higher notes, but has sufficient volume to soar over the chorus when she is required to do so ... The orchestral sound ... soon blossoms into a clarity which reflects exactly the style of a Beethoven who at that stage in his career was definitely still a classicist. Sir Simon Rattle ... encourages his forces to rise to exultant heights for their final chorus ... This disc then is more than simply a souvenir of what was clearly an enjoyable evening in the concert hall".


Diapason

2023 janvier

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Jean-Philippe Grosperrin

2023 janvier


Fono Forum

2023 März

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Susanne Benda

2023 März

"Überzeugend ist 'Christus am Ölberge' auch in dieser dramatisch zugespitzten, klangfarblich gut koordinierten Aufführung unter Philippe Herreweghe nicht ... Das Collegium Vocale Gent singt gut, das Orchester schärft die theatralischen Momente ... Fazit: Nein, zu retten ist dieses Stück nicht".


Klassisk

2021, nr. 60

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Jeppe Rönnow

2021, nr. 60

"Det tre kvarter lange Oratorium er desværre ikke rigtig Beethoven-godt, som vi normalt forventer det fra jubilarens hånd ... Han komponerede hele herligheden på 14 dage, og det kan mærkes. Alligevel formår fransk/danske Elsa Dresig at få noget både interessant og skønt ud af sine arier som Seraf undervejs ... Hun får flot medspil af tenoren Pavol Breslik som Kristus ... Men det er orkestret og Rattle som førstemand, der overbeviser bedst som formidler ... En flot og lidt mere sjælden Beethovenoplevelse".