BLACHER: Der Grossinquisitor [CD de audio] Siegmund Nimsgern, Rundfunkchor Leipzig, Dresdner Philharmonie, Blacher and Herbert

Boris Blacher's oratorio, Der Großinquisitor, was only half finished in 1943. Finding himself in a truly desperate situation, forced to withdraw from musical life thanks to his inclusion in the Nazi register of Jews in music, and struck by a particularly unpleasant relapse of tuberculosis, it was the friendship and hospitality of his student, Gottfried von Einem, that helped him regain his health and confidence, and finish the oratorio. The text is based on Dostoevsky's novel, The Brothers Karamazov, illustrating the return of Jesus to earth in 16th century Seville. The depiction of heretics burning to the glory of God could not be a clearer reflection of the fate of the Jews at the hands of the Nazis. Distinct from the other works in Blacher's oeuvre thanks to its seriousness and tonal harmony, Der Großinquisitor also contains elements typical of the composer's style, such as short rhythms and seemingly directionless melodic lines. The role of the Inquisitor is sung by German bass-baritone Siegmund Nimsgern, who has enjoyed an international career as an opera singer, performing with the Royal Opera (London), Metropolitan Opera (New York) and the Vienna State Opera, among others. Next to him are the Rundfunkchor Leipzig and the Dresdner Philharmonie, conducted by Herbert Kegel.