Josef Gabriel Rheinberger: The Star of Bethlehem - CD, Choir Coach, multimedia | Carus-Verlag

Josef Gabriel Rheinberger The Star of Bethlehem

Christmas cantata op. 164, 1890

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He who seeks a moving and lyrical work with rewarding roles for the choir could do no better than to choose Rheinberger’s Stern von Bethlehem. In nine scenes (Expectation, The shepherds, The appearance of the angels, The Star, etc.) the Christmas story is lyrically portrayed. Songlike and pastoral choruses, a heartfelt soprano part and finally, the exotic, charming procession of the Wisemen through the desert have insured this work an increasing popularity. It was written in 1890 to a libretto by Rheinberger’s wife Fanny. On account of their similar scoring, this work can be easily combined for a performance with Mendelssohn’s Vom Himmel hoch or Die Geburt Christi.
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  • Erscheinung des Engels
  • Anbetung der Weisen
  • Die Hirten an der Krippe
  • Erwartung
  • Die Hirten. Pastorale
  • Bethlehem
  • Die Hirten an der Krippe
  • Der Stern
  • Maria
  • Erfüllung
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Compact Disc Carus 83.111/00, EAN 4009350831117 CD in jewel case
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14,90 € / copy
  • During the second half of the 19th century Rheinberger, who was born in 1839 in Vaduz (Liechtenstein), was a major figure of European stature. In demand as a teacher of composition and esteemed as a composer, this professor at the Munich Conservatoire and Bavarian Court Kapellmeister made his mark on a whole generation of musicians. The fact that many of his compositions were no longer performed after his death in 1901, despite their high musical qualities, was largely a result of external circumstances. The change of aesthetic orientation which began about the turn of the century led to a radical move away from the conservative-classical ideals to which Rheinberger – like Brahms – had felt himself committed. It was also a fact that Rheinberger never publicized his own works vigorously. The Josef-Rheinberger-Archiv and Carus published a complete edition of works by Josef Gabriel Rheinberger for the first time. The edition, concluded in 2009, has contributed significantly to the fact that the music of this composition teacher and Bavarian Court Kapellmeister from Munich can once again be heard around the world today. Personal details
  • Fanny von Hoffnaaß, geb. 1831 in Schloss Maxlrain, gest. 1892 in München. Gattin Josef Rheinbergers. Schrieb Gedichte und Prosa. Personal details

Reviews

Carus 83

Josef GabrieI Rheinberger: Der Stern von Bethlehem, op. 164

Nach der Herausgabe von Klavierauszug und Partitur (Reprints der Originalausgaben von 1891) ist nun die vor zwanzig Jahren erfolgte Einspielung dieses stimmungsvollen Werkes auf CD in hervorragender Tonqualität erhältlich. Die Weihnachtskantate steht in Rheinbergers Schaffen am Ende einer Reihe von Chorwerken, die ihre Entstehung der mehr als zwanzig Jahre dauernden Verbindung zum Münchner Oratorienverein verdanken; zugleich ist sie auch das letzte oratorische Werk, dem Rheinberger einen Text seiner Gattin Fanny von Hoffnaaß zugrunde legte. Der neunteilige Gedichtzyklus behandelt die Weihnachtsgeschichte nach den Evangelisten Lukas und Matthäus in stimmungsvollen Bildern, wobei es der Verfasserin mit ihrer freien Deutung der biblischen Ereignisse gelingt, Stimmung und Wärme der alpenländischen Weihnacht einzufangen. Ein imposantes Werk, das in einer wunderschönen Einspielung viel von der Freude der Heiligen Nacht mitteilen kann.

Walter Sengstschmid
Quelle: Singende Kirche 3/1988, S. 157

 

Die Aufnahme ist in vielerlei Hinsicht hochkarätig: Insbesondere Dietrich Fischer-Dieskaus Bariton ist über jede Kritik erhaben, aber auch die Leistungen aller anderen Solisten sind untadelig. Dabei verfällt die Aufnahme von 1968 weder in sentimentale Rührung noch verharrt sie in makelloser, aber trockener Stillosigkeit, sie findet die gelungene Balance zwischen diesen Extremen und schafft so eine überzeugende Darstellung.

Quelle: Kirchenmusik im Bistum Limburg 1/2001, S. 60

This is a classic recording of a rare Christmas piece. Its origins are in the 1960s and an EMI Electrola session in Munich.
You are immediately aware of Rheinberger’s almost nerveless, serene, undulating continuity of expression. Majesty too shines through these pages with the great choral cries at 5.45 and 6.10 leaving us in no doubt that the composer had hit a very strong vein of inspiration. Of course the idiom is late-romantic. Beyond that you can imagine a passionate and blessed land between say Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Beethoven’s Pastoral and Brahms’ German Requiem. Streich is superb, almost childlike yet full of tone; not at all operatic. In fact her style is more liederabend than theatre; just as with Fischer-Dieskau. The engineers wrought a perfect full-throttle balance between Streich’s voice and the starry powers of the massed choir. The Bavarian Radio choir are also good at the intimacy of the crib scene (tr. 5) with its glances towards Berlioz and his l’Enfance du Christe. This score is packed tight with eloquent, pungent and passionate writing distinguished by some meltingly lovely writing for the soloists (especially Streich), the radiant chorus, the harp (try tr. 8 Maria) and the woodwind. The high leaping melodic theme which weaves its delight throughout this work is perhaps part of the inspiration behind Othmar Schoeck’s more intimate vocal style.
The sung text is printed in German and English although not side by side. There are extremely full notes in German and a much shorter though adequate text in English. The words of Stern are by the composer’s wife Franziska who died seven days after its world premiere at the Dresden Kreuzkirche on 24 December. Rheinberger could never bring himself to hear the work again. It brought back memories that were too sorrowful to be supportable. Rheinberger himself died in his adopted home city of Munich on 25 November 1901. He first came to Munich in 1851 to study at the Conservatoire. After the Second World War his remains were exhumed from the Munich cemetery and returned to his native town of Vaduz in Liechtenstein where he had been born on 17 March 1839.
Not with standing the short playing time this work, rather like Cyril Rootham’s Ode on the Morn of Christ’s Nativity, is far too good to be heard only at Christmas.

Rob Barnett
Quelle: Classical Music on the Web www.musicweb.uk.net (March 2003)

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