Your guide to classical music online

Meinardus Commemorates Luther

John Greene

Artistic Quality:

Sound Quality:

Ludwig Meinardus, in collaboration with the poet Wilhelm Rossmann, began composing his oratorio Luther in Worms in 1871 to commemorate the 350th anniversary of Luther’s famous speech there before the council set to determine his fate. It’s a rather conservative setting, modeled in the longstanding oratorio tradition of Bach, and especially Mendelssohn. It’s also a work with conflicting elements that preclude an unqualified assessment.

On the one hand, it’s quite a beautiful piece, featuring many lovely moments throughout. The subtle shaping of the light choral polyphony of the Miserere nobis and the ideal pacing in the orchestral intermezzo prior to Luther’s reckoning are especially moving. Under the direction of Hermann Max, the Rheinische Kantorei, Concerto Köln, and the eight vocal soloists deliver uniformly enthusiastic performances. A better collective effort would be hard to imagine.

On the other hand, there’s really nothing here that’s memorable, let alone original. There’s an overall static nature to the piece, a predictability of form that, depending on your tolerance for musical convention, ranges from (at best) an appreciation of the composer’s clever attempts at pastiche to (at worst) his indulgence in the tediously trite. Arguably, the most exasperating moment occurs in the finale of the second movement where the chorus is divided far left and far right to represent the fury of the crowds supporting both Rome and Luther. You’d think that the dramatic potential here would be all but inevitable. However, any sense of opposition or conflict is undermined by Meinardus’ perpetually undulating, bland sonorities and rote orchestration.

CPO’s sound is fine, with an ample soundstage and a convincing integration of the vocal soloists and choir. The notes are comprehensive and informative. This is a noble project that I gather will appeal mostly to Luther enthusiasts or to those interested in the historical event itself. It’s doubtful though that others who invest their time here will find enough to compel them to return.


Recording Details:

    Soloists: Catalina Bertucci (soprano); Annette Gutjahr (alto); Clemens Loschmann, Corby Welch (tenor);
    Matthias Vieweg, Markus Flaig, Clemens Heidrich, Ansgar Eimann (bass)

    Rheinische Kantorei, Concerto Köln, Hermann Max

  • Record Label: CPO - 777 540-2
  • Medium: CD

Search Music Reviews

Search Sponsor

  • Insider Reviews only
  • Click here for Search Tips

Visit Our Merchandise Store

Visit Store
  • Ideally Cast Met Revival of Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette
    Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, NY; March 19, 2024—The Met has revived Bartlett Sher’s 1967 production of Gounod’s R&J hot on the heels of its
  • An Ozawa Story, November, 1969
    Much has justifiably been written regarding Seiji Ozawa’s extraordinary abilities and achievements as a conductor, and similarly about his generosity, graciousness, and sense of humor
  • Arvo Pärt’s Passio At St. John The Divine
    Cathedral of St John the Divine, New York, NY; January 26, 2024—When one thinks of musical settings of Christ’s Passion, one normally thinks of the