1.1 	Sinfonia Avanti L'opera Croesus 	4:54
	Atto Primo - Scena I
1.2 	Coro 	1:47
1.3 	Recitativo (Croesus) 	3:14
1.4 	Aria (Croesus) 	2:20
	Scena II
1.5 	Aria (Elmira) 	5:12
1.6 	Recitaivo (Elmira) 	1:12
1.7 	Arietta (Elmira) 	1:48
	Scena III
1.8 	Ara (Orsanes) 	2:00
1.9 	Recitativo (Elmira) 	2:20
	Scena IV
1.10 	Aria (Halinacus) 	1:18
	Scena V
1.11 	Aria (Elmira) 	2:22
	Scena VI
1.12 	Recitativo Con Aria (Elmira) 	2:28
1.13 	Recitativo (Elmira) 	0:59
1.14 	Aria Con Recitativo (Nerillus) 	1:46
	Scena VII
1.15 	Recitativo (Elmira), Duetto (Elmira, Nerillus) 	2:07
	Scena VIII
1.16 	Duetto (Eliates, Orsanes) 	0:58
	Scena IX
1.17 	Duetto (Elmira, Clerida), Quartetto (Eliates, Clerida, Orsanes, Elmira) 	3:54
	Scena X
1.18 	Aria (Elmira), Recitativo (Elcius) 	2:54
1.19 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	0:59
	Scena XI
1.20 	Recitativo Con Aria (Elcius) 	2:17
	Scena XII - XXIII
1.21 	Recitativo (Croesus), Recitativo (Halimacus) 	2:06
	Scena XIV
1.22 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	1:19
1.23 	Aria (Clerida) 	5:13
	Scena XV
1.24 	Recitativo Con Aria (Elcius) 	1:37
1.25 	Chaconne 	1:47
	Scena XVI
1.26 	Aria (Cyrus) 	1:37
1,27 	Recitativo (Cyrus) 	1:10
1.28 	Ballet Von Persischen Soldaten 	1:19
	Scena XVII
1.29 	Recitativo (Croesus) 	1:39
	Scena XVIII
1.30 	Ritornello Con Aria (Croesus) 	2:01
1.31 	Recitativo (Hauptmann) 	1:24
	Atto Secondo - Scena I
2.1 	Ritornello 	1:38
2.2 	Duetto (Bäuerin, Bauer) 	2:09
	Scena II
2.3 	Recitativo (Atis) 	2:22
	Scena III
2.4 	Recitativo (Elcius), Aria (Bauernkinder), Recitativo (Elcius) 	4:18
2.5 	Ballet von Bauern Und Bauernkindern 	0:56
	Scena IV
2.6 	Duetto (Elmira, Clerida) 	2:37
	Scena V
2.7 	Recitativo (Clerida), Aria (Orsanes), Recitativo (Clerida) 	3:19
2.8 	Aria (Elmira) 	2:53
2.9 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	0:30
2.10 	Aria (Clerida) 	1:18
	Scena VI
2.11 	Recitativo (Eliates) 	0:42
2.12 	Duetto (Eliate, Orsanes), Chorus 	1:14
	Scena VII
2.13 	Recitativo (Halimacus) 	1:33
	Scena VIII
2.14 	Recitativo (Halimacus) 	0:42
2.15 	Aria (Elmira) 	4:57
	Scena IX
2.16 	Recitativo (Halimacus) 	3:01
2.17 	Aria (Atis) 	2:53
	Scena X
2.18 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	2:42
	Scena XI
2.19 	Aria (Elmira) 	3:19
2.20 	Recitativo (Atis) 	1:04
2.21 	Aria (Atis) 	1:48
2.22 	Recitativo (Elmira) 	0:36
2.23 	Aria (Elmira) 	3:29
	Scena XII
2.24 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	2:21
	Scena XIII
2.25 	Recitativo Con Aria (Elcius) 	1:30
	Scena XIV
2.26 	Aria (Croesus) 	2:15
2.27 	Recitativo (Cyrus) 	1:05
2.28 	Aria (Cyrus) 	1:47
2.29 	Entree, Passepied Der Feuerwerker 	0:43
	Atto Terzo - Scena I
3.1 	Aria (Orsanes) 	1:21
3.2 	Recitativo (Eliates) 	1:47
	Scena II
3.3 	Aria (Halimacus), Recitativo (Orsanes) 	0:46
	Scena III
3.4 	Recitativo (Elmira), Aria (Elmira) 	3:49
3.5 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	1:51
	Scena IV
3.6 	Recitativo (Eliates) 	0:44
3.7 	Aria (Eliates) 	1:21
	Scena V
3.8 	Aria (Atis) 	4:07
3.9 	Recitativo (Atis) 	1:02
3.10 	Aria (Atis) 	2:52
	Scena VI
3.11 	Recitativo (Orsanes) 	1:11
3.12 	Recitativo (Orsanes), Aria (Orsanes) 	3:28
	Scena VII
3.13 	Ritornello Con Aria (Atis) 	2:38
3.14 	Recitativo (Atis, Elmira) 	1:32
3.15 	Aria (Elmira) 	1:56
	Scena VIII
3.16 	Arietta (Trigesta) 	1:49
3.17 	Recitativo (Elcus) 	2:08
3.18 	Aria (Elcius), Recitativo (Elcius) 	1:50
	Scena IX
3.19 	Duetto (Clerida, Elmira) 	1:56
	Scena X
3.20 	Recitativo (Elmira) 	2:09
3.21 	Aria (Atis) 	1:15
	Scena XI-XII
3.22 	Aria (Croesus) 	4:17
	Scena XIII
3.23 	Recitativo (Cyrus) 	1:16
3.24 	Recitativo (Cyrus) 	3:22
3.25 	Aria (Croesus) 	3:10
3.26 	Recitativo (Cyrus, Solon) 	6:36
3.27 	Coro 	1:02

Soprano – Brigitte Eisenfeld, Dorothea Röschmann, Johanna Stojković, Salomé Haller 
Countertenor – Graham Pushee
Tenor – Kurt Azesberger, Markus Schäfer, Werner Güra 
Baritone – Johannes Mannov, Jörg Gottschick, Roman Trekel
Bass – Klaus Häger, Kwangchul Youn
Choir – Knabenchor Hannover, RIAS-Kammerchor
Conductor – René Jacobs 

Money doesn't make one happy...... but the re-discovery of this extraordinary Croesuscertainly does! Keiser is one of the most astonishing early German composers to havebeen brought to light in recent years. The composer of a good sixty operas, all of themfor the Hamburg Opera, during his lifetime he was regarded as 'the greatest and mostauthentic musical genius ever to be born in Germany', and, indeed, 'le premier hommedu Monde'! If credence is to be lent to the enormous success of its first performance(1710) and its revival in 1730 (the version recorded here), this music is a veritabletreasure-trove: whether it be in the writing of the arias and duos, the innovativeorchestral coloration, the skilfull adaptation of an old Venetian opera to suit the tastes ofHamburg audiences, Keiser proves himself a truly great master. This recording followsthe unforgettable performances at the Berlin Staatsoper under René Jacobs. 'A superbproduction' ---Le Monde de la Musique

Thanks to countertenor/conductor René Jacobs’ musical curiosity, we have a new Baroque opera to contend with, and it’s very different from any of the Handel or Vivaldi works with which we’ve recently become acquainted. Reinhard Keiser (1674-1739) was active in Hamburg and this opera therefore gives us a peek at what was going on outside of Italy, France, and England at the time. He mixes serious and comic situations and comes up with something very different from either opera seria or the French tragédies lyriques of Lully and Rameau. Arias tend to be brief and flavorful and only a handful are da capo; duets just happen naturally and are prone to break off into recitative only to return to the duet form again; and orchestration is vivid and punchy (and Jacobs’ band plays it spectacularly).

The plot concerns King Croesus, who is immensely wealthy and therefore believes himself to be invincible. The philosopher Solon disagrees, arguing that worldly goods are short-lived. When Croesus is defeated by the Persians, of course the argument’s over; but in addition to that philosophical plot line, there are love affairs and intrigues. Croesus’ son, Atis, is mute for the first act, but is struck with the ability to speak when his father is about to be killed. He loves Elmira, who returns his love–they engage in duets early on in which he doesn’t answer(!). Going further into the plot won’t help; the accompanying booklet clarifies as much as you’d like.

The performance is the thing, and whatever this is, it’s goregously performed and gripping from the first to the last second of its entire three-hour span. Roman Trekel’s Croesus is believable without being dislikeable, and his bickering with Kwangchul Youn as Solon is vivid. Once Werner Güra as Atis begins to sing you wish he’d been able in Act 1; his is a wonderful tenor, with plenty of spice and technique to spare. The same might be said of Dorothea Röschmann’s Elmira–the character is invariably in some sort of ferocious mood and Röschmann is spectacular. The rest of the soloists are just as good, and the comic characters add zest. This is one-of-a-kind but more than a rarity: It’s a great work, ideally performed. One Grammy coming up! ---Robert Levine, classicstoday.com

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1. Part 1a 	[16:11]
2. Part 1b 	[18:26]
3. Part 2a 	[18:56]
4. Part 2b	 [22:16]

Margaret Hunter - soprano (Tochter Zion)
Gudrun Sidonie Otto - soprano (Maria)
Alexandra Rawohl - contralto  (Tochter Zion)
Mirko Heimerl - tenor (Judas)
Mirko Ludwig - tenor (Petrus)
Ingolf Seidel - baritone (Jesus)

Cantus & Capella Thuringa
Bernhard Klapprott (conductor)

October 2, 2010, St. Petri-Kirche, Wandersleben (Thuringa, Germany)
Deutschlandfunk (Cologne) Broadcast

Der blutige und sterbende JESUS. (“The Bleeding and Dying Christ”). Early Protestant passion oratorio by Reinhard Keiser (1704), one of the first to use the term ‘oratorio.’ It is a setting of a poetic text by Christian Friedrich Hunold based freely on the Gospel accounts of the passion of Christ. In place of a narrator, it features an allegorical character, the Daughter of Zion who comments on emotional events in the drama in the manner of a Greek chorus.

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CD1
Tracks 1 – 18

CD2
Tracks 1 – 29

CD3
Tracks 1 - 26

Jan Buchwald [Jodelet]
Christoph Genz [Nicolo]
Moritz Gogg [Frederic]
Inga Kalna [Laura]
Jörn Schümann [Fernando]
Anke Herrmann [Erminde]
Michael Smallwood [Henriquez]
Andreas Hörl [Octavius]
Tamara Gura [Julia]
Christoph Pohl [Eduard]
Julia Sukmanova [Isabelle]
Philharmonisches Orchester Hamburg
Alessandro De Marchi [Conductor]

22.02.2004, Staatsoper Hamburg

Der lächerliche Prinz Jodelet (The ridiculous Prince Jodelet) dates from Keiser's later period; it was given its first performance at the Gänsemarkt in 1726. In it the composer followed the then frequent practice of pasticcio: only the ouverture and the plot-driven sections were newly composed, then interspersed with existing musical numbers. --- folias.nl

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1. Act I
2. Act II
3. Act III

David - Raimund Nolte
Gläubige Seele/Andächtige Seele/Gottliebende Seele - Simone Kermes
Saul/Gottliebende Seele - Markus Brutscher
Goliath - Johannes Mannov
Jonathan - David Cordier
Eliab - Hans Jörg Mammel
Abner - Thomas Peter

ChorWerk Ruhr
Musica Antiqua Köln
Peter Neumann - conductor

Essen 09 septembre 2006

From 1697 and for almost the next twenty years, Reinhard Keiser was the house composer and indisputable star of the first public opera house in Germany, the Hamburgische Oper on the Gänsemarkt. Formerly a pupil of Bach's predecessor as Thomaskantor, Johann Schelle, Keiser came to Hamburg from the ducal court in Brunswick, bringing about what was to be the Hanseatic public opera's artistic heyday, and the notorious bankruptcies aside, its economic heyday too. The young Handel was a violinist in the orchestra in Hamburg for a short while before moving on to Italy (partly because Hamburg already had its own local heroes) and was indebted to Keiser for a number of inspirations, although the latter's exclusively German-language operas did not, however, set the fashion and opera long continued to be sung only in Italian. In the Protestant oratorio things were different and Keiser's David Victorious is one of the most important works from the early years of the genre. Unlike Handel, whose Saul presented the Old Testament story of David and Goliath, Saul and Jonathan as a human drama about twenty years later, Keiser links the dramatic oratorio with the religious action in a unique manner. Great choir scenes, warlike double choirs, brilliant and sensitive arias alternate with allegorical scenes of ›godloving‹, ›devout‹ and ›religious souls‹ as well as with the chorales of the ›Christian congregation‹; David Victorious brings the opera audience and the religious congregation closer to one another. This is due in large part to Keiser's much praised and colourful instrumentation, including chalumeaux, lutes and a glockenspiel – a baroque masterpiece to be rediscovered at the RuhrTriennale, with ChorWerk Ruhr and Musica Antiqua Köln. --- 2006.ruhrtriennale.de

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CD1

    1 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten: Concerto avanti l'opera a 5 (Vivace ma non presto) 
    2 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 1 Lebe lange, lebe lange, tapfere Königin 
    3 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Ich bin vergnügt (Rezitativ) 
    4 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 2 Lebe lange, lebe lange, tapfere Königin 
    5 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 3 Tanz der Scythen mit bloßen Säbeln (Gigue) 
    6 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Dein Opfer hat die Götter vergnügt (Rezitativ) 
    7 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 4 Non star dubioso (Aria) 
    8 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Unüberwindlichste, ich werd' euch bald den Eid (Rezitativ) 
    9 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 5 Se mai perdo la gloria d'amante (Aria) 
    10 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Unglücklichster Monarch! (Rezitativ) 
    11 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 7 Liebe, Rache, Zorn und Wut (Aria) 
    12 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Laß sich die Könige bei mir einfinden (Rezitativ) 
    13 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 8 Strahlt, ihr Sterne, meine Liebe (Aria) 
    14 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Sieh da! die Könige! (Rezitativ) 
    15 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Proverà la mia catena (Aria) 
    16 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Bewünschter Ort, wo ich vergnügungvoll (Rezitativ) 
    17 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 11 Brecht doch, ihr geliebten Schatten (Aria) 
    18 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 12 Sinfonie 
    19 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Ihr Götter! Meroe erscheint in jener Höhe (Rezitativ) 
    20 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Mir wird bald heiß, bald kalt (Accompagnement) 
    21 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 1. Akt: Nr. 14 Spricht mir euer Haß, ihr Schönen (Aria) 
    22 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 15 Triumphiere, triumphiere, singe, lebe 
    23 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 16 Menuet 
    24 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 17 Loure 
    25 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 18 Bourée 
    26 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Geliebte Königin, du hast die Siegeszeichen (Rezitativ) 
    27 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 19 Caro bene! (Aria in tre) 
    28 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: So wolltest du wohl einen Ehgemahl (Rezitativ) 
    29 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 20 Amor fache nicht die Flammen (Aria) 

CD2

    1 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Es ist mir lieb, daß ich dich hier erblicke (Rezitativ) 
    2 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 23 Eilet, ihr Furien, kommet zusammen (Aria) 
    3 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Orontes, deine Treu ist mir genugsam bekannt (Rezitativ) 
    4 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Mein herbes Leid und scharfer Schmerz (Aria affettuosa) 
    5 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Unglücklichste, was willst du nun beginnen? (Rezitativ) 
    6 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 27 Kühle Winde, saust gelinde (Aria) 
    7 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 28 Symphonie 
    8 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Der Himmel lachet meine Rache (Rezitativ) 
    9 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 24 Deine Großmut, deine Güte (Aria) 
    10 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Soll mein Tigranes so unschuldig sterben (Rezitativ) 
    11 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 2. Akt: Nr. 30 Kann ich meinen Schatz nicht retten (Aria) 
    12 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Hier ist das edle Schild (Rezitativ) 
    13 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 32 Nell'apparenza del gran delitto (Aria) 
    14 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Was stellt ihr euch bei dem Verräter vor? (Rezitativ) 
    15 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 34 Tu lusinghi, o crudo amore (Aria) 
    16 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Die Meroe! (Rezitativ) 
    17 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 35 Sterb' ich nur um dich (Aria a 2 voci) 
    18 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Schweig, Tomyris ist hier (Rezitativ) 
    19 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 36 Rase nur, rase nur gegen dich selbsten (Aria furiosa) 
    20 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Ach, Tomyris! dein Zorn (Rezitativ) 
    21 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 37 Mi dice onore, tu sei felice (Aria) 
    22 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nein! nein! Tigranes soll nicht sterben (Rezitativ) 
    23 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 38 Treuloses Kind, auf! auf! (Aria) 
    24 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Tigranes sterbe, der Verräter! (Rezitativ) 
    25 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 39 Umwölke doch, umwölke doch, Vergessenheit (Aria) 
    26 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: So willst du sterben, ach! (Rezitativ) 
    27 Die grossmütige Tomyris - Oper in drei Akten, 3. Akt: Nr. 41 Treue Liebe herrschet (Air en Gavotte)

Gabriele Fontana (soprano) - Tomyris; 
Marianne Hirsti (soprano) - Meroë; 
Christoph Prégardien (tenor) - Tigranes; 
Stefan Dahlberg (tenor) - Policares; 
Alan Cemore (baritone) - Doraspe; 
Oskar Purg- staller (tenor) - Latyrus; 
Wolfram Krohn (bass-baritone) - Orontes.

Linde Consort (playing authentic Baroque instruments)
Hans-Martin Linde – conductor

rec. live, 20-24 April 1988, Theater im Pfalzbau, Ludwigshafen, Germany. 

The name of Reinhard Keiser is closely connected to the Oper am Gänsemarkt in Hamburg. This was the first opera house in Germany which was not part of an aristocratic court; every citizen could buy a ticket. The librettos were mostly in German, although often the arias were in Italian or French. It opened in 1678 with a performance of a sacred opera by Johann Theile. Many composers who are still well-known were active in Hamburg as opera composers, such as Johann Philipp Krieger, Johann Mattheson, Christoph Graupner, Georg Philipp Telemann, George Frideric Handel and Reinhard Keiser. However, the repertoire of the Oper am Gänsemarkt is comparatively obscure. One reason is that a large part of it has been lost.

Telemann's oeuvre continues to enjoy increasing interest and some of his operas have been performed and recorded. However, most of his operas are lost or have been preserved in only fragmentary form. From Graupner's operatic output almost nothing has survived. In the case of Keiser the situation is much better. His colleague Johann Mattheson stated that he had composed over one hundred operas. That is certainly highly exaggerated, but there is documentary evidence of at least 66 operas from his pen. Less than a third has survived: 19 largely complete scores and substantial fragments of others. However, very little of his output has received any attention in modern times. Very few of his operas are available on disc, and because of that this reissue should be welcome.

That said, I am not sure whether this particular issue will do Keiser's reputation any good. The fact that he was so prolific works against him. It hasn't exactly given him a good name among music historians. Telemann also suffered the same fate but more of his oeuvre has been explored. As this has happened so the conviction has grown that most of it is of very good quality. Whether the same is the case with Keiser is hard to say. This recording of his opera Die großmütige Tomyris is probably not such a good argument for his case.

It is claimed that this live performance of 1988 represents the complete opera. That seems to be incorrect: the track-list includes the numbers in the libretto, and some are omitted. In the first act we hear numbers 1 to 5, 7 and 8 and then 10 to 14. This indicates that parts have been cut. Whether that is because those parts have been lost is impossible to say; the liner-notes omit any information about that. The work-list in New Grove doesn't indicate that this opera is incomplete.

This is a recording of a staged performance which explains the stage noises. I find that rather annoying if there is nothing to see. German speakers may understand large parts of the recitatives, but even they will miss some words or lines. The booklet is no help on that front as a libretto is omitted. It is also questionable whether those who don't understand German are willing to listen to long episodes with recitatives - some more than five minutes - without understanding what they are about.

I must add that the singing is hardly a reason to purchase this disc. Most of the soloists sing with a pretty big wobble, especially Gabriele Fontana who takes the title-role. Marianne Hirsti and Oskar Pürgstaller are stylistically more convincing. Christoph Prégardien is the best of them all, but I have never considered him a real opera singer. He doesn't convince me here either. From a dramatic point of view he is rather stiff, and that goes for the most of the cast. Despite this being a live performance there is no real drama or impulse. The Linde-Consort has never been a very engaging ensemble, and their playing is too straightforward and not very imaginative.

As much as I would like to see operas by Reinhard Keiser being recorded, this recording should not have been reissued. It is time that his operas were carefully examined, performed and recorded. It seems that this particular example includes a lot of good stuff, but, sad to say, that is not conveyed here. ---Johan van Veen, musicweb-international.com

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1. Passion Music	1:06:38

Setlist:
Ich liege und schlafe ganz mit Frieden (Motette)
-Ich Liege Und Schlafe Ganz Mit Frieden (Chorus)
-Meine Seele Ruht in Gottes Hand (Soprano)
-O Sel'ge Ruh (Chorus)
-Wenn Gott Mir Hilft Und Mich Erhalt, Was Kann Mir Schaden (Tenor)
-Wenn Gott Mir Hilft Und Mich Erhalt, Kann Ich Wohl Bleiben (Soprano)
-Ich Bin Sicher Bei Den Blitzen (Bass)
-Ich Den Schonen Himmels-Auen (Alto)
-Ich Liege Und Schlafe Ganz Mit Frieden (Chorus)

Wir gingen alle in der Irre (Fragmenten aus der Lukas-Passion)
-Wir Gingen Alle in Die Irre (Chorus)
-Recitativo: Und Er Ging Hinaus (Tenor, Bass)
-Aria: Weint, Besturzte Augen (Soprano)
-Recitativo: Und Er Stund Auf Von Dem Gebet (Tenor, Bass)
-Aria: Schmeichle Nur, Boshafte Schlange (Soprano)
-Recitativo: Da Aber Sahen, Die Um Ihn Waren (Tenor)
-Herr, Sollen Wir Mit Dem Schwert Dareinschlagen? (Chorus)
-Recitativo: Und Einer Aus Ihnen Schlug Des Hohenpriesters Knecht (Tenor, Bass, Soprano)
-Aria: Verstummet, Unglucksel'ge Lippen (Alto)
-Recitativo: Und Uber Eine Kleine Weile (Tenor, Soprano, Alto)
-Arioso: Ach, Was Hab Ich Doch Begangen (Tenor)
-Accompagnato: Ergreif Nun Dolch Und Strick (Tenor)
-Aria Lamentosa: Rinnet, Ihr Betranten Augen (Tenor)
-Recitativo: Die Manner Aber, Die Jesum Hielten (Tenor)
-Weissage, Wer Ist's, Der Dich Schlug? (Chorus)
-Recitativo: Und Viel Andere Lasterungen (Tenor)
-Aria Furiosa: Zeuget, Ihr Wolken, Ergrimmete Blitze (Bass)
-Recitativo: Und Als Es Tag Ward (Tenor)
-Bistu Christus, Sage Es Uns! (Chorus)
-Recitativo: Er Sprach Aber Zu Ihnen (Tenor, Bass)
-Bistu Denn Gottes Sohn? (Chorus)

Seelige Erlösungs-Gedancken (Oratorium)
-Aria: Ach, Golgatha! (Soprano, Tenor, Bass)
-Recitativo: Bejammert Meinen Jammer-Stand (Soprano)
-Accompagnato: Ihr Henker, Ach, Mit Welcher Tyrannei (Soprano)
-Aria: Kann Nicht Mein Bittrer Tranen-Regen (Soprano)
-Recitativo: O Herber Anblick (Tenor)
-Aria: Schenkt Man Dir Gall' Und Essig Ein (Tenor)
-Recitativo: Unseliger Gefahrte Meiner Pein (Bass)
-Accompagnato: Herr, Schliesse Mich in Dein Gedachtnus Ein (Bass)
-Arioso: Wahrlich, Ich Sage Dir (Bass)
-Aria: Ich Bin Zum Himmel Eingeladen (Bass)
-Aria: Weinet, Ihr Getreue Herzen (Soprano)
-Recitativo: Schaut Den Entblossten Leib (Bass)
-Aria: Aus Liebe Bin Ich Mensch Geworden (Bass)

Doerthe Maria Sandmann - soprano 
Eeva Tenkanen - soprano
Julian Podger - tenor
Knut Schoch - tenor
Matthias Jahrmärker - bass
Olivia Vermeulen - mezzo-soprano
Raimonds Spogis - bass
Capella Orlansi Bremen
Director - Thomas Ihlenfeldt

Only three oratorio works by Reinhard Keiser, who is above all known as an opera composer, have been transmitted to us in full. Many shorter pieces, fragments, and works of uncertain authorship still lie unpublished in archives and libraries. The present recording brings together a psalm composition, the fragment of an anonymously transmitted St. Luke Passion, and a printed edition from 1715. The nine instrumentalists and seven vocalists of the Capella Orlandi Bremen under Thomas Ihlenfeldt present these pieces by Keiser, in which, as might be expected, reminiscences of his opera style are in clear audible evidence. In his St. Luke Passion Keiser sets entirely new accents. Allegorical figures are included in the cast of characters and comment empathetically on the action, and the expressive, palpable manner of their interventions in the passion account is innovative. The liturgical components, for instance, the turba choruses, also show the music dramatist's hand. This Hamburg concert, broadcast live on Deutschlandradio Kultur, continues the concert and CD series »Wiederentdeckungen Hamburger Kirchenmusik 1600-1800« (Rediscoveries of Hamburg Church Music, 1600-1800) of the ZEIT Foundation. ---jpc.de

The great oratorios and Passion settings of the High Baroque are effective in part because they successfully combine various forms of musical discourse; they draw on opera, on chorales and other forms of devotional music, on pastoral themes (where would Messiah be without those?), on political and military ideas, and more. In order for Bach and Handel to accomplish what they did, someone had to carve out a space in the sacred music sphere for them. Hamburg composer Reinhard Keiser, best known (when he is known at all) for his operas, was one of these figures, and this release from the specialist German label CPO, which has embarked on an intriguing project covering two centuries of church music from the Hanseatic city, does a top-notch job of illuminating the ways he did it and the circumstances under which he did it. The booklet notes (in English and German) by conductor Thomas Ihlenfeldt concisely and entertainingly explain the factors in play: arrayed against the musically conservative clergy of the city's large churches were smaller churches and also its cathedral, which was partly under foreign (for a time Swedish) control. And Hamburg was full of talented opera singers eager for work during periods (such as Lent) when theaters were closed. The three works here, collectively designated as Passion music but including a motet, a partial Passion setting, and a series of arias entitled Seelige Erlösungs-Gedancken (Thoughts on the Soul's Redemption), all anticipate the forms and modes of expression used by Bach, and especially Handel. All are made up of recitatives and arias, with the first two framed by very brief choruses and choral exclamations from the crowd, like those in Bach's or Schütz's settings, in Wir gingen alle in der Irre, setting material from the Passion According to Luke. The recitatives in this work are noteworthy in their depth and variety, but perhaps the most interesting are the Seelige Erlösungs-Gedancken, which have a reflective and inward tone suggesting that Keiser knew the slightly older and often magnificent chamber sacred music of Buxtehude. The performers, with an unusual variety of international backgrounds, turn in generally strong efforts; the quiet warmth of mezzo-soprano Olivia Vermeulen is especially in tune with the expressive dimensions of the music. Tenor Knut Schoch will be familiar to buyers of parts or the entire Bach cycle on the budget Brilliant label. The choruses are sung with one voice per part, simply by the assembled soloists, and indeed music like this, where the chorus doesn't really have much to do, provides a decent argument for the one-voice-per-part procedure (it's much more troublesome in chorale-based music like Bach's). A very strong outing from CPO's adventurous catalog, and it makes one want to check out other releases in the Hamburg series. ---James Manheim, AllMusic Review

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Disc 1 
1.Ouvertüre
2.Was das Leben lieblich machet
3.Denn sollt ich stets
4.Ich werde heut anschauen
5.Sei willkommen, meine Lust
6.Ich hoffe, heut den Siegeskranz zu tragen
7.Auf den Feldern deiner Wangen
8.Du kränkest mich
9.Wer liebt, denkt stets zu seinem Trost
10.Wir wollen uns nur nach dem Saal
11.Amor scherzt
12.An meinem Beispiel schaut die ganze Welt
13.Komm Schönster, komm Liebster
14.Was ist, o Göttin, dein Verlangen?
15.Göttin, ach, es ist zuviel
16.Ich muß auf kurze Zeit dich lassen
17.Wir werden in gar kurzer Zeit
18.Du scheidest von hinnen
19.Ihr, die ihr sonst die reifen Saaten
20.Tanz des Gefolges der Ceres
21.Du edler Saft der Reben
22.Ich muß von Herzen lachen
23.Wenn du füllst mit deinen Tropfen
24.Der Zweifel rühret ja wohl nicht
25.Zuviel Verwegenheit gewinnet nie
26.Was sind der Flora Blumen
27.Kindheit ist wie Frühlingsstunden
28.Ich lass dir gern
29.Indessen hoff ich doch, zu siegen
30.Rühmet ihr Himmel
31.Was ist die Lust bei den verliebten Stunden?
32.Ich komm, ich kehre wieder
33.Zeigt ihr indes in frohem Gange
34.Tanz des Gefrolges der Pomona
35.Du rufest, ich komme
36.Ich höre dich, mein Trost
37.Kehret wieder, schöne Glieder
38.Endlich, endlich
39.Weiß auch mein Schatz
40.Der Sieg ist mein

Disc 2 
1.Wenn alles ist beschneiet
2.Weg, Frühling, weg
3.Fachet die Kohlen auf
4.Und sollte mich dies nicht alles beglücken
5.Tanz der Schmiedeknechte
6.Noch keiner da?
7.Ein Buhler trägt ein schönes Joch
8.Mein Bruder Bacchus kommt
9.Wer fröhlich will leben
10.Willkommen Bruder!
11.Lasset eurer Göttin Preis
12.Du übereilst dich nicht in deinem Gang
13.Sieht da, mein Bacchus!
14.Sollt' ich ermüden
15.Da kommet das verliebte Paar
16.Hoffe nur!
17.Vergnüget ihr indessen
18.Tanz des Gefolges der Flora
19.Weichet, ihr flüchtiges Blumengesinde
20.Gedacht ich's nicht
21. Hoffnung wanket nicht
22.An Bacchus denkt man nicht
23.Sollt' ich hier eine nehmen
24.Ihr könnt indes im Tanzen weisen
25.Tanz des Gefolges der Pomona
26.Sollten holde Frühlingskinder
27.Auf, frohes Volk, zeigt der Welt
28.Ihr seid's allein
29.Zurück, zurück!
30.Komme, großer Himmelsherr
31.Dass ihr gehorsam hier erschienen
32.Sei willkommen, edler Tag
33.Alleine, dass euch unverborgen
34.Damit ihr dann auch euer Urteil höret
35.Wer wird dann den Ruhm erreichen
36.Des Himmels Segen
37.Und wie mit ihr
38.Es mache sie beglücket
39.Grüßet und blühet im Segen
40.Soll Pomona fruchtbar sein

Pomona – Melanie Hirsch (Sopran)
Flora – Doerthe Maria Sandmann (Sopran)
Vertumnus – Magdalene Harer (Sopran)
Ceres – Olivia Vermeulen (Mezzosopran)
Mercurius – Julian Podger (Tenor)
Zephyrus – Knut Schoch (Tenor)
Jason & Jupiter – Jan Kobow (Tenor)
Bacchus – Raimonds Spogis (Bariton)
Vulcanus – Jörg Gottschick (Bariton)

Capella Orlandi Bremen
Thomas Ihlenfeldt – conductor

Reinhard Keiser is regarded as one of the most important German baroque era opera composers; Pomona forms the ideal introduction to the world of German-language baroque opera. A few deities come together to participate in a contest ultimately to be decided by Jupiter, the father of the gods. And that’s it! No intricate plot, no complicated character groupings. Pomona was the last opera based on a libretto by Christian Heinrich Postel, a highly experienced librettist who’d recognized the young composer’s talent, and beginning in 1697 penned his texts exclusively for his musical settings. ---Notes and Editorial Reviews, arkivmusic.com

If you’re looking to get into opera, this fairly simple piece is a good place to start. We suspect opera buffs would dismiss it as lightweight froth; the Review Corner doesn’t particularly warm to opera yet we’ve enjoyed it. It’s a gateway CD: get into this and heavier opera will seem more palatable.

The plot is very simple: a few gods come together for a contest, to be decided by Jupiter, the Father of the guards and, er, that’s it. No convoluted love story, men in helmets or bats: the title refers to the victory of the fruitful Pomona.

It was written in the very early 17th-century to celebrate the Danish king’s birthday. It was performed in Hamburg, its opera house at that time allowing foreigners to pay for operas to be staged, in an attempt to foster international relations. Operas such as Pomona were probably not high art but more to do with high finance and even higher flattery, so Pomona was paid for by a Dane. The sleeve notes report that the founder of Hamburg Opera House popped his clogs during the performance of this opera, possibly because he was worried about the fireworks setting his beloved opera house on fire. ---Jerobear, reviewcorner.org

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