Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Concentus Musicus Wien - J. S. Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium BWV 248 (2008) [SACD]

If this 2007 recording of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio was the only 1 you were to hear, you would likely be well satisfied. Nikolaus Harnoncourt knows the work from long experience, his 1st recording dates from 1973, & he knows not only how to balance the soloists, chorus, & orchestra but how to balance the festive, the reflective, & the demonstrative, as well. The soloists here are generally quite fine — clarion soprano Christine Schäfer & stentorian bass Christian Gerhaher are especially effective — the Arnold Schoenberg Choir is, as always, deep & sonorous, & Harnoncourt’s hand-picked Concentus Musicus Wien performs with its standard gusto & enthusiasm. These factors in addition to the overwhelming magnificence of the work itself are more than enough to make for an enjoyable recording. But, of course, there have been many, many recordings of the Christmas Oratorio before this 1, & many of them are far better than this 1 of Harnoncourt’s. One could point to the lift & drive of John Eliot Gardiner’s recording, or to the joy & devotion of Karl Richter’s, or the soul & spirit of Kurt Thomas’, or lightness & grace of Ton Koopman’s, or the sheer vocal beauty of Peter Schreier’s, & still barely have touched on all the performances that go further into the work than Harnoncourt’s. Deutsche Harmonia Mundi’s super audio sound has tremendous impact in the loud passages but still contrives to sound flat & 2-dimensional the rest of the time.