[log in to unmask] writes:

>The first Herreweghe should definitely not be discarded in favor of the
>2nd set.  It has a "rawness" which I always find enticing, and Herreweghe's
>conception of the work is similar in both versions.

Of the HIP performances I've heard, I found Herreweghe's first set the most
moving from a spiritual standpoint.  The sound is generally very clear and
sweet also.  I like the fact that he doesn't rush through the chorales.  My
only reservation has been the "hooty" alto sound of Rene Jacobs.  His voice
seems so close to cracking, sounds very "falsetto" to my baritone ears.

Doesn't anyone have anything to say about the Klemperer? It's at least as
controversial in tempi (slow) as the HIP versions (fast) are.

Jim Saunders
Portland, OR