Handel: Brockes-Passion HWV 48 (CD)

Barthold Heinrich Brockes’ text for the passion oratorio later named after him is among the most influential and well-known Passion librettos of the early 18th century. The present version is the first recording on CD of the work based on the copy made by Johann Sebastian Bach himself.

It is distinguished from the more well-known version by a different text underlay for the opening chorus. The period instrument ensemble Collegium Cartusianum, founded in 1988, has a repertoire ranging from Monteverdi to Brahms. It has appeared at many leading festivals throughout Europe. The ensemble’s performance at the Göttingen Handel Festival of Handel’s Saul (2001) and Judas Maccabaeus (2004) received particular acclaim. In the last few years, conductor Peter Neumann has made a name as a Handel specialist. The much-praised CD recordings of Saul, Susanna, Theodora, Belshazzar, Athalia and Joshua (all issued on MDG) are testimony to this. His new recording of Handel’s Alexander’s Feast and Ode for St Cecilia’s day was released on the Carus label in 2009.