Though Schütz never composed a Vespers service, Peter Neumann and the Kölner Kammerchor and the Collegium Cartusianum offer a hypothetical “idealized” reconstruction drawn primarily from the composer’s Symphoniae Sacrae and Psalmen Davids collections (also included are selections from Schütz’s Kleine Geistliche Konzerte 1636, Geistliche Chormusik 1648, and Cantiones Sacrae 1625, along with his famous Magnificat). While loosely modeled on Monteverdi’s glorious Marian Vespers (the psalms are separated with concertos instead of antiphons), Neumann’s reconstruction lacks Monteverdi’s brilliant underlying structure so critical to the program’s overall impact.
The performances here are generally fine, though given the competition (especially in the Magnificat), they lack the sheer verve and depth of expression offered by the better ones. In Anima mea liquefacta est, for example, the brass are far outclassed by Les Saqueboutiers de Toulouse (Erato), who perform with greater panache yet still remain in tune. Likewise in Freuet euch des Herren, ihr Gerechten, Neumann’s forces sound outright dispassionate compared to Concerto Palatino on its superb complete recording of Symphoniae Sacrae for Accent.
While not nearly as anemic-sounding as McCreesh’s Archiv account, Neumann’s rendering of Schütz’s Magnificat fares little better. Neumann’s tempos are at times significantly faster compared to all three of my reference performances–Laplenie (Ades), Kuijken (Deutsche Harmonia Mundi), and Mauersberger/Grüss (Berlin Classics)–an interpretive decision that undermines the music’s grandeur and drama.
MDG’s sound is crisp and clear. While the aforementioned recordings of Schütz’s Symphoniae Sacrae and Magnificat are recommended, those looking for superior performances of the Psalms of David would do well to consider Laplenie again (this time on Accord), Junghänel (Harmonia Mundi), and Schneidt (Archiv). For the Geistliche Konzert and Chormusik cycles, Ehmann (Cantate) remains the standard to which all aspire.
