The Dunedin Consort’s recording of Bach’s St John Passion for Linn Records has been named “Recording of the Month” in the March issue of Gramophone together with the April issue of BBC Music Magazine. The recording features tenor Nicholas Mulroy (Evangelist & Tenor soloist) and bass-baritone Matthew Brook (Jesus & Bass soloist).
Directed by John Butt, the St John Passion has been recorded within its original liturgical context in Greyfriar’s Kirk, Edinburgh. Butt recreates the Good Friday Vesper liturgy of a passion performance during Bach’s time in Leipzig.
“...the increasingly impressive Nicholas Mulroy’s alert, lightly coloured Evangelist strikes a balance in which declamation and lyricism are equally ardent and equally touching, while Matthew Brook is a supple and authoritative Christus.” (Lindsay Kemp, Gramophone)
“Tenor Nicholas Mulroy’s firmly-contoured Evangelist balances the musical and narrative imperatives of the recitatives with judicious sensitivity, and bass-baritone Matthew Brook’s Christus stands up to the crowd with a dignified yet firm resolve and hallowed charisma. He also shapes ‘Mein teurer Heiland’ with easeful repose.” (Paul Riley, BBC Music Magazine)
The Dunedin Consort will be touring with performances of the St John Passion in Aberdeen, Glasgow and Lucerne in March 2013. Click here for more information.
You can purchase the recording by following this link. To view a short video of the making of this recording click here.