Word: munch
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Dates: during 1950-1959
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...first time in years, Symphony Hall heard a great Bach choral work yesterday afternoon, presented both with inspiration and a proper number of performers. Gone were the monster choruses and bloated orchestras, which have often distorted the music. The Harvard-Radcliffe Chorus used about a hundred singers, and Mr. Munch cut the orchestra down to seventy, as musicologists recommend...
...real glory, however, belongs to Mr. Munch--first, for his decision to perform the piece; and secondly, because he approached this complex work with an acute sense of its drama. That, in fact, is the keystone of all Passion music. Bach composed the music to follow the sense of the words closely, and has subtle devices for accomplishing this make a fascinating study, one which Mr. Munch evidently had made...
...that time forced Mr. Munch to cut some superb music, particularly since the arise and choruses left out make up much of the character of the "Matthew Passion." But he was quite right to keep the recitative intact, for the composer himself, when obliged to cut, did the same thing...
When Bach performed the "Passion," he had the congregation join in the chorales heartily. The accompaniment was full orchestra, fortissimo, and this is the way it should always be, even today. The way Mr. Munch did it, a cappells, pianissimo, was very effective but not historically accurate. Some modern audiences have shown willingness to join in the chorales, but perhaps the Friday afternoon patrons would...
...Munch attends this Wednesday's Glee Club concert, the spokesman hopes that the performance will change Munch's mind...