Bach: Advent & Christmas Cantatas / Rilling, Bach Ensemble
Contains Cantatas BWV 36, 40, 57, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 91, 110, 121, 122, 123, 132, 133, 151 & 191.
REVIEW:
Before Christmas and much of its music was commercialised, there was Bach – pre-eminently the greatest composer of the season, unfailingly cutting to the emotional and spiritual quick of the texts he set to music. This six-disc box of Advent and Christmas cantatas from Helmuth Rilling’s complete series is a wonderful digest of Bach’s unparallelled achievement in this area.
The intensity of colour and expression in these works is stunning – the surging, brass-capped elation of Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, so full of the simple joy of the Christian message, the searching meditation on temptation in Selig ist der Mann, the seemingly bottomless well of spiritual sustenance plumbed in the chorale conclusions.
The soloists are generally distinguished, and sometimes excellent – tenor Peter Schreier and soprano Arleen Augér both give object lessons in Bach style in their Schwingt freudig euch empor arias, while Helen Donath, Helen Watts and Kurt Equiluz are among other well-known singers making a contribution.
Rilling’s performances (on modern instruments) are neatly tailored and naturally benevolent in nature, buoyant with the wholesomeness and warmth that this great music so frequently emanates. There is simply no better way of celebrating a musical Christmas.
Performance: 5 (out of 5), Sound: 4 (out of 5)
-- Terry Blain, BBC Music Magazine
Product Description:
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Release Date: July 21, 2009
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Catalog Number: 98551
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UPC: 4010276021773
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Label: SWR Classic
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Number of Discs: 6
Period: Baroque
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
Orchestra/Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Works:
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Schwingt freudig euch empor, BWV 36
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Dazu ist erschienen der Sohn Gottes, BWV 40
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Selig ist der Mann, der die Anfechtung erdulet, BWV 57
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 61
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, BWV 62
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Christen, ätzet diesen Tag, BWV 63
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Sehet, welch eine Liebe, BWV 64
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Sie werden aus Saba alle kommen, BWV 65
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV 91
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Unser Mund sei voll Lachens, BWV 110
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV 121
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Das neugeborne Kindelein, BWV 122
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen, BWV 123
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Bereitet die Wege, bereitet die Bahn!, BWV 132
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Ich freue mich in dir, BWV 133
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Süsser Trost, mein Jesus kömmt, BWV 151
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling
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Gloria in excelsis Deo, BWV 191
Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach
Ensemble: Gächinger Kantorei Stuttgart, Stuttgart Bach Collegium
Conductor: Helmuth Rilling