Graun: Kleine Passion-Oratóriumának értékelése

I was really apprehensive before the performance. György Vashegyi is truly an excellent conductor but his concept is deeply rooted in high and late baroque. How can he adopt and successfully emphasize the intrinsic values of galant music? Indeed, there are ingenious figures, such as William Christie who are able to shift and emphasize the often intentionally baroque-antagonistic features of early classicism. The easier aspect is the proper reproduction of the then so-exhilarating arsenal of galant music. They were defined by Galuppi for Burney as vaghezza, chiarezza, e buona modulazione (beauty, clearness, and good modulation), but one should definitely add swift changes in dynamics and tempi to the characteristic asset of these musical tools. However the conductor is still confronted with a much more difficult challenge represented by the restrained and distanced emotional requirements of the era and the exuberantly applied and stereotyped embellishments. Without proper accents, slight changes in tempi and dynamics and wisely used improvisations the result can be tedious. Sometimes even superficial! Especially in the presented piece which puts Graun’s movements in sharp contrast with the stark, late baroque ones by J.S. Bach. However, György Vashegyi successfully overcame these obstacles. Furthermore, he and his staff served a stylistically homogenous and very delicious musical pasticcio, which delighted the soul. An almost perfect performance despite the discomfort the venue offers!

PS.: A Hermann Max-féle felvétel 1990-es és igencsak tompa, tömbszerű szimfonikus hangzású. Amúgy is out of print, így új felvételekre mindenképpen szükség van. A CPO lemeze pont egy hónapja jelent meg (Concerto Vocale, Sächsisches Barockorchester, Gotthold Schwarz)