Judas. Arias and Recitatives by Johann Sebastian Bach Benedikt Kristjánsson, Ensemble Continuum & Sergey Malov

• Johann Sebastian Bach (1685 - 1750): Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV131:
• 1 Bach: Aus der Tiefen rufe ich, Herr, zu dir, BWV131: Aria: Meine Seele wartet auf den Herrn 07:08
• Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV78:
• 2 Bach: Jesu, der du meine Seele, BWV78: Recitativo: Ach Ich bin ein Kind der Sünde 02:04
• Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV179:
• 3 Bach: Siehe zu, daß deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei, BWV179: Aria: Falscher Heuchler Ebenbild 02:41
• Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV55:
• 4 Bach: Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV55: Recitativo: Ich habe wider Gott gehandelt 01:31
• Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes, BWV76:
• 5 Bach: Die Himmel erzählen die Ehre Gottes, BWV76: Aria: Hasse nur hasse mich recht 02:48
• Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV55:
• 6 Bach: Ich armer Mensch, ich Sündenknecht, BWV55: Aria: Erbarme Dich lass die Tränen dich 04:58
• Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV3:
• 7 Bach: Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV3: Recitativo: Es mag mir Leib und Geist verschmachten 01:09
• Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV12:
• 8 Bach: Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen, BWV12: Aria: Sei getreu alle Pein 03:55
• Die Matthäus-Passion, BWV244:
• 9 Bach: Die Matthäus-Passion, BWV244: Recitativo: Trinket alle daraus 01:28
• Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren, BWV154:
• 10 Bach: Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren, BWV154: Recitativo: Dies ist die Stimme meines Freundes 02:00
• Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, BWV157:
• 11 Bach: Ich lasse dich nicht, du segnest mich denn, BWV157: Aria: Ich halte meinem Jesum feste 05:17
• Sie werden euch in den Bann tun, BWV183:
• 12 Bach: Sie werden euch in den Bann tun, BWV183: Aria: Ich fürchte nicht des Todes Schrecken 12:27
• In allen meinen Taten, BWV97:
• 13 Bach: In allen meinen Taten, BWV97: Aria: Ich traue seiner Gnaden 07:08
• Total Runtime 54:34

Info for Judas. Arias and Recitatives by Johann Sebastian Bach

"When I sang my first Bach St Matthew Passion, it was difficult for me to create the recitative about the death of Judas, because I had the interpretations of many other evangelists in my ear and followed in their footsteps without thinking about it: To portray Judas as a traitor, a coward, a villain. But I didn't want to do that." Benedikt Kristjánsson has his own view of the biblical figure who has imprinted himself on the collective memory in the Christian part of the world as the arch-villain. He wants to see him not only as the explicitly negative figure responsible for the death of Jesus, but as someone who played his part in the inevitable path of sacrificing the Messiah and thus in the core of Christian teaching. Kristjánsson also has his own view of one of the greatest stars in music history: Johann Sebastian Bach. He selects individual arias and recitatives to paint his picture of Judas, and indeed succeeds in what is so often fascinating about Bach: He once again appears completely new.

Benedikt Kristjansson, tenor
Sergey Malov, violin
Ensemble Continuum

Benedikt Kristjansson
was born in in Húsavík, Iceland. He started singing lessons at age of 16 under the tutelage of his mother, Margrét Bóasdóttir, at the Reykjavik Academy of Singing and Vocal Arts in Iceland.

Benedikt graduated from the Reykjavík Conservatory of Music in 2007. He studied with Professor Scot Weir at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin, and graduated with honors. He has participated in Masterclasses in Europe by renowned Singers such as Christa Ludwig, Peter Schreier, Elly Ameling, Robert Holl, Thomas Quasthoff, Andreas Schmidt and also the Lied-Pianist Helmut Deutsch.

Benedikt won the 1st Prize of the International Bach Vocal Competition in Greifswald in 2011, and was also awarded the Audience Award. He was the Winner of the Audience Award in the International Bach Competition in Leipzig 2012. ​

In 2019 he received the OPUS Klassik award in the category “Innovative Concert”, with a version of the St.John Passion by Bach, arranged for Tenor, harpsichord and diverse Percussion instruments.

As a Concert singer Benedikt has performed in many Concert Halls in Europe and the USA, such as Konzerthaus Vienna, Berlin Philharmonie, Chapelle Royal in Versailles, Walt-Disney Hall, Los Angeles and Concertgebouw Amsterdam with Orchestras such as Staatskapelle Berlin, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Gaechinger Cantorey, Hofkapelle München, Holland Baroque, Dresdner Barockorchestra, Nederlandse Bachverening, Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin, and Freiburger Barockorchestra. Benedikt has worked with many internationally acclaimed Conductors such as Reinhard Goebel, Reinbert de Leeuw, Vaclav Luks, Vladimir Jurowski, Peter Dijkstra, Hans-Christoph Rademann and Philipe Herreweghe.

Benedikt has performed Opera in Theater Kiel, Staatstheater Braunschweig and at the Staatsoper in Berlin, singing both baroque and modern repertoire. He is a frequent performer at Festivals, such as Bachfest Leipzig, Musikfest Stuttgart, Thüringer Bach-Wochen, Händelfestspiele Halle, Festival Bach Montréal, Festival Oude Muziek in Utrecht, as well as being an Artist in Residence at the Beethovenfest in Bonn in 2022.

In 2019 he released his first solo-CD, “Drang in die Ferne”, which received critical acclaim s in Germany. The program of the CD is a mixture of Icelandic Folksongs and song by Franz Schubert. The CD was nominated at both OPUS Klassik, and ICMA (International Classical Music Awards).

Booklet for Judas. Arias and Recitatives by Johann Sebastian Bach