Bach's Mass in B Minor: What is best CD out there?

If you like an historically informed performance, but find the Gardiner too "light" (as suggested by Sugarbrie and in which I agree), consider the superb performance by Harnoncourt and the Concentus Musicus Wien on Teldec (Elektra/Asylum - #95517).

This is Harnoncourt's first performance of the Mass in b-minor, recorded in 1968. Of the various performances of this work in my collection, this is the recording I keep returning to.

Please forget any recording of this greatest piece on earth and try to get Thomas Hengelbrock conducting the Balthasar Neumann Choir and the Barockorchester Freiburg. It might not be in stock in the US but DO ask for it. When they got to the moon they should be able to get this CD for you!
You won't regret going through any trouble getting it!

If you want the recording Aida_w mentions, and it is not available in the US, then check the UK Tower Records website which is:

http://www.towerrecords.co.uk/

They will ship to the US from the UK store. It is not much more for regular air mail shipping.

I have bought quite a few "unavailable" CDs this way.

The Collegium Vocale under the direction of Philippe Herreweghe come the closest to capturing the beauty and devotional spirit of Bach's choral works. How? Difficult to say exactly, but the fact that Herreweghe combines authentic instrumentation, etheric choral tone, period-sized forces, fine soloists and stately rhythms (no windshield wiper tempi here, as you will hear in the Gardiner) doesn't hurt. The Collegium Vocale/Herreweghe also have quite successfully recorded Bach's Magnificat and Easter Oratorio.

I mean no disrespect to anyone; but how does anyone know what does or does not capture the way the work sounded in the year 1750. Is there a 253 year old recording available; or is there anyone still alive from 1750 who went to a performance, who can attest to these claims?? All there is are self-anointed "experts".

The only facts I know of is; in 1750 it was a lot harder, or next to impossible in some areas to put together an orchestra of highly trained musicians and singers. There was also not a very good supply of quality instruments in a single area. So unless there are mistakes by some musicians and some instruments sound a little off, it probably is not historically correct.

It is just as likely, that if Bach were alive today, he would say...."With all the wonderful and superior equipment and musicians you have today, why are you playing my music on that old crap??"

Now, I do like the sound of many "historically correct" recordings. But has anyone ever insisted that their dentist use original instruments?