"Here is a great 10 CD set of all the best pieces of Bach in very nice performances.
CD 1 has Brandenburg Concertos 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6, all performed by the German Bach Soloists conducted by Helmut Winschermann.
CD 2 has the Orchestral Suites 1 and 2, and the 5th Brandenburg Concerto, all performed by the German Bach Soloists, conducted by Helmut Winschermann.
CD 3 has the Orchestral Suites 3 and 4, the Concerto for Violin and Oboe BWV 1060, and the Concerto for 3 violins, BWV 1063, all performed by the German Bach Soloists, conducted by Helmut Winschermann. The violin soloist is Christian Altenburger.
CD 4 has the Violin Concertos 1, 2, and 3 (#3 being for 2 violins), BWV 1041 - BWV 1043, and the so-called "Triple Concerto" for violin, flute, and harpsichord, BWV 1044, all performed by the German Bach Soloists, conducted by Helmut Winschermann. The violin soloist is Christian Altenburger.
CD 5 has the Piano concertos 1, 4, and 5 with Dora Milanova at the piano; and the Concerto for 2 pianos BWV 1061 with Julia and Konstantin Ganev, pianists. The orchestra here is the Sofia Soloists Chamber Ensemble conducted by Vassil Kazandjiev and Yordan Dafov.
CD 6 is organ works. Here are: 1. Prelude and Fugue in D minor BWV 565; 2. Prelude and Fugue in E flat Major, BWV 552; 3. Fantasy and Fugue in a minor, BWV 561; 4. Prelude and Fugue in g minor, BWV 542; 5. "O Mensch, bewein dein Suende gross," BWV 622; 6. "Vater unser im Himmelreich," BWV 683; 7. "Hertzlich tut mich verlangen," BWV 727; 8. "Fughetta: Gottes Sohn ist kommen," BWV 703; 9. "Das alte Jahr vergangen ist," BWV 614; 10. Fugue in g minor, BWV 578. The first piece is played by Hannes Kaestner, and all the rest are played by Gabor Lehotka.
I think that's really all the Bach organ music I need.
CD 7 is three cantatas. BWV 51, Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, is performed by the German Bach Soloists, conducted by Helmut Winschermann. Edita Gruberova is the soprano and Wolfgang Bash the trumpet soloist. Cantata 82, Ich habe genug, is performed by Siegfried Lorenz, bass, and the New Leipzig Bach Collegium Musicum, conducted by Max Pommer. Cantata 21, Ich hatt viel Bekuemmernis, is performed by Vienna Boys Choir and soloists, the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Peter Marschik.
CD 8 is highlights from the St. Matthew Passion, with soprano Magda Kalmar, contralto Julia Hamari, tenor Zeger Vandersteene, tenor Denes Gulyas, bass Ernst Schramm, the "Jeunesses Musicales" Chorus and the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, conducted by Frigyes Sandor.
CD 9 is highlights from the St. John Passion, with contralto Julia Manari, tenor Jozsef Reti, bass Bruce Abel, the Franz Liszt Music Academy, the Budapest Chamber Chorus, and the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, all conduced by Gyorgy Lehel.
CD 10 is highlights from the Mass in b Minor. Here the soloists are Veronika Winter, soprano; alto Kai Wessel, tenor Markus Brutscher, and bass Stephan Schreckenberger, with the Rheinische Kantorei and Das Kleine Konzert, conducted by Herman Max.
As you can no doubt tell, most of these recordings are German or Hungarian with modern instruments, not period instruments. I really prefer the sound of modern instruments, and I much prefer pianos to harpsichords in the concertos, so this set is just perfect for me. 90% of my recordings are orchestral, as I am not a big organ or choral fan, and there's just enough here of that kind of music to take care of my listening needs for a long time.
I first heard the German Bach Soloists's recordings of the Bach Orchestral Suites (here called by their published name of Overture) way back in the 1980s, and the energy and sheer fun they brought to the music made them my favorite recording for a long time. Here that recording is joined by their recordings of the rest of the basic Bach orchestral repertoire, with equal success.
The other main orchestra here is the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, which I have heard on fabulous recordings of music by Mozart and Haydn. No surprise, they do just as well with Bach.
As I have said, I am generally not a fan or organ or choral music, and am grading the album down one star because of its inclusion.
Each disc comes in an individual jewel case with insert with notes, and the whole thing is enclosed in a big slipcover."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1