J. S. Bach: Weihnachts-Oratorium BWV 248

• Cast: Fritz Wunderlich (Evangelist and tenor arias), Gundula Janowitz (soprano), Christa Ludwig (contralto), Fanz Crass (bass), Münchener Bach-Chor, Münchener Bach-Orchester, cond. Karl Richter

• FonoForum, 12/1965: "Wunderlich proves to be an ideal evangelist. The biblical history is laid before us in natural speech, reverence and with sense of musical style."
• Nicholas Anderson in "Gramophone", 3/1989 [comparing Richter's and Kurt Thomas's recordings]: "Karl Richter's performance dates from 1965, since when it has seldom been out of the catalogue. It is in an entirely different class from the Thomas version but, even so, sounds a little inflated when placed beside the fine Erato/RCA account by Michel Corboz who, like Richter, uses a mixed choir and a modern chamber orchestra. Richter's orchestra is smaller than the Gewandhaus forces though his choir are probably larger. That seems to matter rather less than we might imagine since Richter's Munich Bach Choir were at a peak at this time and the results are often quite exciting. Under Richter's direction the 'Ehre sei dir, Gott' chorus, a full one and a half minutes brisker than under the baton of Thomas, is appropriately lustig with wonderfully light-hearted singing and orchestral playing. Richter, though, is unpredictable in his choice of tempo and can be just as ponderous as Thomas; the alto aria 'Schlafe, mein Liebster' (Part 2) seemed interminable in both, more perhaps on account of articulation than of speed in Richter's case. At the opposite end of the scale, however, are the arias with Gundula Janowitz and Fritz Wunderlich. The solo singing of these artists is of a calibre which will always ensure considerable enjoyment even if the interpretation as a whole affords mixed pleasure."
• George Murnu, review at www.jsbach.org: "A landmark recording in the sixties and even today there are a lot of Bach fans who consider this their favorite recording of the work. Safe to say that the singing has not been surpassed, especailly the Evangelist of Fritz Wunderlich. Richter captures the grandour of the work like nobody else. I have always like the powerful trumpets - Maurice André's among them - in the choruses; the brilliace of the trumpets is a characteristic of Richter's work in general that I have always liked. But the recording also shows the weaknesses of the maestro as well: a certain stiffness is occasionally evident and I have never been a fan of the much-praised Munich Bach Choir either. In the last recitative, 'Was will der Höllen Schrecken nun', Richter employs the chorus and not the soloists like I prefer. In spite of the weaknesses, anybody wanting a modern instruments version could do much worse than this." [on DG Archiv 427 236-2]

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	DG Archiv 413 625-2 (3 CD)
	DG Archiv 427 236-2 (3 CD)
	DG Archiv APM 14 353/55 (3 LP, mono)
	DG Archiv SAPM 198 353/55 (3 LP)
	DG Archiv 2710 004 (3 LP)
	DG Archiv 2710 018 (3 LP)
	DG Archiv 2722 024 (3 LP)
	DG Archiv 2723 063 (3 LP)
	DG 643 008/11 (4 LP, + other works, on "Es begab sich aber zu der Zeit")

Highlights on

	DG Archiv 445 044-2
	DG 136 498
	DG 199 039
	DG 2353 369
	DG 3335 369 Resonance

Excerpts on

	DG 471 474-2 (6 excerpts, + "Eine Weihnachtsmusik" complete recital, + various baroque instrumental pieces)
	DG 472 113-2 (8 excerpts on "Fritz Wunderlich Edition", 5 CD)

Rehearsal extracts on

DG Promotional LP

Fritz Wunderlich Discography