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BIS

Bach: Cantatas Vol 1 / Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan

Baroque Spiritual Virtuosic Uplifting Dramatic
$21.99

Details

Composer
BACH, J.S.
Artist
Akira, Masaaki, Tachikawa, Yumiko, Suzuki, Peter, Kurisu, Koki, Kooy, Bach Collegium Japan, Katano
Format
CD
Label
BIS
Released
Nov 01, 1995
Catalog #
BIS-CD-751
UPC
7318590007518

About


Those who lament the austere, dispassionate, "scholarly" approach that more often than not informs today's original-instrument performances of Bach cantatas will find much to rejoice in Masaaki Suzuki's grand and heartfelt, if not overly devotional conceptions. For instance, as you listen to the opening Sinfonia of Christ lag in Todesbanden you're immediately struck by the emotive delicacy of the string playing and how perfectly it introduces the subject's necessary resolve and sadness. Moments later when the chorus enters and the momentum shifts, the urgency of the ensemble likewise changes to deftly communicate just the right measure of boldness and hope. Throughout the piece Suzuki's uncanny ability to extract every nuance from Bach's sublime score recalls the efforts of Karl Richter, Günther Ramin, Fritz Werner, Karl Ristenpart, and Helmut Winschermann--bygone patricians of this repertoire who were equally considerate of the music's every emotion, from deepest angst to overwhelming joy. Though BWV 4 is one of Bach's most famous and oft-recorded cantatas, Suzuki's rendering of it ranks with the very best.

The two other cantatas offered--Nacht dir, Herr, verlanget mich BWV 150 and Der Herr denket an uns BWV 196--also receive outstanding performances. In BWV 150, soprano Yumiko Kurisu's seamless and spirited rendering of the aria "Doch bin und bleibe ich vergnügt" is a marvel, as is the fifth-movement trio "Zedern müssen von den Winden", expertly performed by countertenor Akira Tachikawa, tenor Koki Katano, and veteran Dutch bass Peter Kooy. Also noteworthy is Suzuki's brilliant negotiation of the complex rhythms of the chorale "Meine Augen sehen stets zu dem herren", imparting a rarely heard uplifting quality to the setting. BWV 196 is highlighted by the final chorale "Ihr seid die Gesegneten", where Suzuki's sensibly dignified conclusion impresses more favorably than the overly exuberant let's-get-it-over-with treatment Konrad Junghänel and the Cantus Cölln offer in their fairly recent Harmonia Mundi recording (type Q1384 in Search Reviews).

BIS's sound is of audiophile quality, with an expansive yet detailed sound stage that spectacularly complements Suzuki's grand realization. As Volume 1 in a complete traversal of Bach's sacred and secular cantatas, this auspicious entry offers the promise of an extraordinary and very important cycle that shouldn't be missed by anyone who loves these works. This is the kind of Bach rarely heard anymore--performances that make you want to devote time to them, to listen at lifelike levels and follow the text religiously.
-- ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 20 tracks

  1. 1 Sinfonia 01:10
    Track
    1
    Title
    Sinfonia
    Duration
    01:10
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  2. 2 Christ lag in Todesbanden (Chorus) 04:02
    Track
    2
    Title
    Christ lag in Todesbanden (Chorus)
    Duration
    04:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  3. 3 Duet: Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt (Soprano, Alto) 03:41
    Track
    3
    Title
    Duet: Den Tod niemand zwingen kunnt (Soprano, Alto)
    Duration
    03:41
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  4. 4 Aria: Jesu Christus, Gottes Sohn (Tenor) 01:56
    Track
    4
    Title
    Aria: Jesu Christus, Gottes Sohn (Tenor)
    Duration
    01:56
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  5. 5 Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg (Chorus) 02:28
    Track
    5
    Title
    Es war ein wunderlicher Krieg (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:28
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  6. 6 Aria: Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm (Bass) 02:38
    Track
    6
    Title
    Aria: Hier ist das rechte Osterlamm (Bass)
    Duration
    02:38
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  7. 7 Duet: So feiern wir das hohe Fest (Soprano, Tenor) 01:29
    Track
    7
    Title
    Duet: So feiern wir das hohe Fest (Soprano, Tenor)
    Duration
    01:29
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  8. 8 Chorale: Wir essen und leben wohl 01:05
    Track
    8
    Title
    Chorale: Wir essen und leben wohl
    Duration
    01:05
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  9. 9 Sinfonia 01:38
    Track
    9
    Title
    Sinfonia
    Duration
    01:38
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  10. 10 Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (Chorus) 03:28
    Track
    10
    Title
    Nach dir, Herr, verlanget mich (Chorus)
    Duration
    03:28
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  11. 11 Aria: Doch bin und bleibe ich vergnugt (Soprano) 01:28
    Track
    11
    Title
    Aria: Doch bin und bleibe ich vergnugt (Soprano)
    Duration
    01:28
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  12. 12 Leite mich in deiner Wahrheit (Chorus) 01:46
    Track
    12
    Title
    Leite mich in deiner Wahrheit (Chorus)
    Duration
    01:46
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  13. 13 Aria (Terzet): Zedern mussen von den Winden (Alto, Tenor, Bass) 01:08
    Track
    13
    Title
    Aria (Terzet): Zedern mussen von den Winden (Alto, Tenor, Bass)
    Duration
    01:08
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  14. 14 Meine Augen sehen stets zu dem Herrn (Chorus) 02:02
    Track
    14
    Title
    Meine Augen sehen stets zu dem Herrn (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  15. 15 Ciacona: Meine Tage in dem Leide (Chorus) 02:46
    Track
    15
    Title
    Ciacona: Meine Tage in dem Leide (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:46
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  16. 16 Sinfonia 01:45
    Track
    16
    Title
    Sinfonia
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  17. 17 Der Herr denket an uns (Chorus) 02:10
    Track
    17
    Title
    Der Herr denket an uns (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  18. 18 Aria: Er segnet, die den Herrn furchten (Soprano) 02:31
    Track
    18
    Title
    Aria: Er segnet, die den Herrn furchten (Soprano)
    Duration
    02:31
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  19. 19 Duet: Der Herr segne euch (Tenor, Bass) 01:51
    Track
    19
    Title
    Duet: Der Herr segne euch (Tenor, Bass)
    Duration
    01:51
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  20. 20 Ihr seid die Gesegneten des Herrn (Chorus) 02:49
    Track
    20
    Title
    Ihr seid die Gesegneten des Herrn (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:49
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach