Search - Bach, Abo, Koopman :: Complete Cantatas 9

Bach Odyssey, part 9

Dr. Peter J. Glidden | Gli Angeli, California | 07/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Anyone who has made it to volume 9 of Ton Koopman's "Complete Cantatas" hardly needs me to tell them of the splendors of this particular Bach-marathon. There have been other attempts at the complete cycle (Harnoncourt, Rilling) but these recordings are already, if monumental, rather dated. And there are other conductors doing brilliant recordings in a more "piecemeal" fashion (Gardiner, Herreweghe, and Suzuki, to name my favorites). Yet Koopman stands alone for the excellence within such a large scope. He has moved Lisa Larsson, soprano, the the forefront among the already stellar ranks of solo soprano Bach cantatas. He has also "created" Sibylla Rubens who is simply everywhere these days (Herreweghe's Matthew-Passion, to name one more prominent spot). Also Christoph Prégardien has been with this project off an on while Klaus Mertens has been on every (all 30!) disk. Both men are consumate Bach singers. So then, allow me to introduce Bernhard Landauer, male alto, recently heard on Koopman's reconstruction of the St. Mark passion. While he was fine there, here I learned the full importance on this grown man-alto whose vocal quality most closely matches a boy's timber. Yet he is matchless as an artist and technician in this music. Perhaps not as "shiny and lustrous" as some countertenors (like Andreas Scholl) he is simply the best voice for this sacred music. His BWV 66 Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen is flawless, his trill is devastating, in a word, perfect."

Exquisite trills by Bernhard Landauer

Emiko Bellocq | Paris, France | 06/27/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is one of the best Bach cantata recordings I've ever heard. In particular, I was deeply impressed by BMV 66.This lively Easter cantata starts with a bright declamation of "Erfreut euch, ihr Herzen" (rejoice now in gladness) by Bernhard Landauer whose youthful voice is immensely close to that of rare boy-alto. There are numerous high points in this cantata but perhaps none could surpass the exquisite trills Landauer bestows us with a passage "Das Trauen, das Furchten, das angstliche Zagen" (affliction and terror and dreaded desolation). His trills are so beautifully devastating, it is as if the meaning of the words embodies itself in the sound. The cry is fragile and almost vulnerable, but it is gently cradled by the warm bass voice of Klaus Mertens. His voice is reminiscent of that of an affectionate father, assures us of the salvation even at the moment of the most unbearable anguish and suffering."