Search - Bach, Harnoncourt :: Complete Cantatas 23

A voice teacher and early music fan

George Peabody | Planet Earth | 05/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"STUNNING, SPECTACULAR PERFORMANCE OF THESE LEIPZIG CANTATAS!

The works in the present recording are part of Bach's second Leipzig annual cantata set(1724--25). Like most of the pieces in this particular set, they are choral cantatas which, within the framework of a somewhat even basic form, develop a remarkable abundance of individual forms. As a rule the first and last verses of the hymn belonging to the appropriate Sunday are used unchanged with regard to text and melody. At the same time Bach shapes from the first verse a grand movement, and from the last a simple song-like setting. The verses between these two were in part taken over by the unknown text arranger and in some cases paraphrased in free poetry. Bach in turn welded them into ever differently emphasised arias and recitatives, always entirely orientated to the text and always featuring either a newly-shaded relationship to the choral melody or a departure from it.



"Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ" BWV91 (We praise thee, all, our Saviour dear.)was written for Christmas Day, 1724 and is marked by the festive character of the occasion. Of the seven verses of the Lutheran hymn, the first and last are unchanged, the second is expanded by means of interpretive insertins, the third and fourth are freely transcribed into an aria, the fifth into a recitative, and the sixth again is an aria.



"Ich hab' in Gottes Herz und Sinn" BWV92 (To God I give my heart and soul) was composed for the Sunday before Sexagesima 1725 and paraphrases a hymn which has only a very general connection with the Sunday gospel(parable of the workers in the vineyard, signifying that the Christian should patiently endure God's will for better or for worse). Bach draws from a frequently loquacious and abstract text the utmost in musical illustration and tonal work.



"Wer nur den lieben Gott lasst walten" BWV93 (Whoso will suffer God to guide him)was composed for the fifth Sunday after Trinity 1724; the version which has come down to us originates from a performance given about 1732/33. The text adopts unchanged the first, fourth and seventh verses of the chorale, expands the second and fifth by interpretive recitative inserts, and transcribes the third and sixth into arias. Bach followed this symmetric arrangement but enriched it by treating the hymn melody in all movements differently.



"Was frag ich nach der Welt" BWV94 (What care I for the world) for the ninth Sunday after Trinity 1724 is in form somewhat less demanding,more intimate and simple in expression than BWV93. The preparation of the text is similar to these; the first, seventh and eighth verses form, unchanged, the opening and concluding chorus; third and fifth verses are expanded to recitatives, the second and fourth verses are each turned into and aria, while the sixth verse is even rewritten as two arias.



The performance by the Choral groups on these two discs is superb as are the soloists and instrumentalists. The tempos are live and move forward with vigor and vibrancy. The soloists are: Detlef Bratschke, soprano and a positively amazing boy soprano named Wilhelm Wiedl, who has a tremendous amount of singing and is stunning in all of his performances. Paul Esswood, countertenor, duets beautifully and frequently with Wiedl. Tenors Max van Egmond and Ruud van der Meer are excellent as is the bass Philippe Huttenlocher. The groups are: Knabencho Hannover (Heinz Hennig); Collegium Vocale (Herreweghe); Leonhard Consort; Concentus musicus Wein (Harnoncourt).



This two disc package was recorded in 1979 on Teldec records, and I have listened to it with great pleasure for many years."