Parting the Red Sea, made easy!

I love exploring oratorios! I suppose, as with any work that is new to me, the possibilities are endless.

Hummel's Crossing the Red Sea is just right: a nice mix of solos, choruses, instrumental flavor, a story with some action, an oratorio that isn't endless hours long...

I mentioned in the last entry of Chandos' Hummel Mass Series that I was not a particular fan of period orchestras, but I am moved by musicality regardless. 

This recording is a perfect example of how the ears adjust. It helps the soloists are firmly dramatic and the chorus is raring to go. This whole affair certainly will make me look further into these performers.

A review from 2024

All the hallmarks of a great oratorio are in place with Johann Hummel’s ‘Passage through the Red Sea’.

There is a colourful story at hand, that from Exodus of the Egyptians pursuing the Israelites, with the climax arriving at Moses parting the Red Sea. The story is matched by a colourful orchestration, with wonderful wind work and a guitar and harp thrown into the mix.

This is supported by a well-judged balance between vocal soloist spotlights and choral numbers, the two often combining throughout. The vocal ensemble portions are beautifully sung, and I am rather pleased with the cast five soloists, who are tasteful, yet mightily characterful. The soprano’s vocal gymnastics towards the end is mere sauce for the goose.

I am no period instrument lover, but this performance worked pretty well throughout the runtime, aside from some brief unison instrumental ensemble statements which sound undernourished to my ears. The chorus is remarkably solid, and is the crown jewel of this recording.

Best of all, Hummel’s oratorio is 50 minutes in length, a rather concise affair, keeping the proportions relatively, and happily bite-sized instead of a two or three hour behemoth. While I might have appreciated an overture thrown in to pad the overall runtime, the main work is terrific in both musical satisfaction and dedicated, characterful advocacy from all of the performers on hand.

Furthermore, this is the only recording of Hummel’s ‘Rote Meer’, and very good it is. While I might yen for a modern instrument recording of this work, I am quite pleased with what is here and CPO’s sonics and recorded balances are superb. Kudos to all involved!

Listen on YouTube

Works
Der Durchzug durchs Rote Meer

Soloists
Simone Kermes, soprano
Veronika Winter, soprano
Hans Jorg Mammel, tenor
Ekkehard Abele, bass
Wolf Matthias Friedrich, bass

Ensemble
Rheinische Kantorei
Das Kleine Konzert
Hermann Max, sonductor

Label: CPO
Year: 2006
Total Timing: 50.45

 

Well, I was taken in by this whole project, hook, line, and sinker.

If there is a detriment, it is the runtime. However, this does not take away from the many qualities on hand.

 

 

 

Find more Hummel recordings HERE!