Bach: Cantatas Vol 10 / Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists

$37.99
Label
SDG
Release Date
June 24, 2005
Format
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    Featuring ⌄
    • COMPOSER
      BACH, J.S.
    • ORCHESTRA / ENSEMBLE
      Monteverdi Choir
    • PERFORMER
      English Baroque Soloists, Gardiner
    Product Details ⌄
    • RELEASE DATE
      June 24, 2005
    • UPC
      843183011025
    • CATALOG NUMBER
      SDG 110
    • LABEL
      SDG
    • NUMBER OF DISCS
      2
    • GENRE
      Choral - Sacred
    Works ⌄

    1. Ich elender Mensch, wer wird mich erlosen (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    2. Recitative: O Schmerz, o Elend, so mich trifft (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: William Towers

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    3. Chorale: Solls ja so sein

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    4. Aria: Ach lege das Sodom der sundlichen Glieder (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: William Towers

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    5. Recitative: Hier aber tut des Heilands Hand (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    6. Aria: Vergibt mir Jesus meine Sunden (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    7. Chorale: Herr Jesu Christ, einiger Trost

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    8. Wo soll ich fliehen hin (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    9. Recitative: Der Sunden Wust hat mich nicht nur befleckt (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    10. Aria: Ergiesse dich reichlich, du gottliche Quelle (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    11. Recitative: Mein treuer Heiland trostet mich (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: William Towers

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    12. Aria: Verstumme, Hollenheer (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    13. Recitative: Ich bin ja nur das kleinste Teil der Welt (Soprano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Joanne Lunn

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    14. Chorale: Fuhr auch mein Herz und Sinn

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    15. Aria: Es reisset euch ein schrecklich Ende (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    16. Recitative: Des Hochsten Gute wird von Tag (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: William Towers

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    17. Aria: So loschet im Eifer der rächende Richter (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    18. Recitative: Doch Gottes Auge sieht auf (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    19. Chorale: Leit uns mit deiner rechten Hand

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    20. Aria: Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    21. Recitative: Mein Wandel auf der Welt (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    22. Aria: Endlich, endlich wird mein Joch (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    23. Recitative and Aria: Ich stehe fertig und bereit (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    24. Chorale: Komm, o Tod, du Schlafes Bruder

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    25. Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    26. Aria: Gott ist unsre Sonn und Schild! (Alto)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: William Towers

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    27. Chorale: Nun danket allet Gott

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    28. Recitative: Gottlob, wir wissen (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    29. Aria Duet: Gott, ach Gott, verlass die Deinen nimmermehr! (Soprano, Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Joanne Lunn, Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    30. Chorale: Erhalt uns in der Wahrheit

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    31. Nun danket alle Gott (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    32. Aria Duet: Der ewig reiche Gott (Soprano, Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Joanne Lunn, Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    33. Lob, Ehr und Preis sei Gott (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    34. Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott (Chorus)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    35. Aria and Chorale: Alles, was von Gott geboren (Bass, Soprano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey, Joanne Lunn

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    36. Recitative and Aria: Erwage doch, Kind Gottes, die so grosse Liebe (Bass)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Peter Harvey

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    37. Aria: Komm in mein Herzenshaus (Soprano)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: Joanne Lunn

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    38. Chorale: Und wenn die Welt voll Teufel war

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    39. Recitative: So stehe dann bei Christi blutgefarbten Fahne (Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    40. Aria Duet: Wie selig sind doch die, die Gott im Munde tragen (Alto, Tenor)

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: English Baroque Soloists

      Performer: William Towers, James Gilchrist

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner

    41. Chorale: Das Wort sie sollen lassen stahn

      Composer: Johann Sebastian Bach

      Ensemble: Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists

      Conductor: John Eliot Gardiner


Volume 10 of the Cantata Pilgrimage series features the programs given in Potsdam and Wittenberg on the 29th and 31st of October, respectively. The first disc is devoted to three cantatas for the 19th Sunday after Trinity with BWV 90 (for Trinity 25) tossed in for good measure, while the second appropriately contains Bach’s two great Reformation Day cantatas (Nos. 79 and 80), separated by the brief, lively, and possibly incomplete No. 192. The three Trinity 19 cantatas are altogether more solemn, or at least begin that way. Coming a third of the year after the last major festival, these cantatas are concerned more with reassurance than exultation, and each concludes with a positive affirmation, and in the case of BWV 5, a triumphant one. Best known of the three, by far, is Cantata 56, for bass. Here divorced from its customarily joined-at-the-hip partner, BWV 82, it confirms its status as one of the elite cantatas. The inclusion of No. 92 is a happy solution to a number of dilemmas. The year of the Pilgrimage did not have enough Sundays after Trinity to accommodate it; it fills out what might otherwise have been a short program, and it is a vigorous and effective foil for its more introspective discmates.

Again, the performances are superb. Personnel for the two concerts are consistent, apart from the addition of flutes, horns, timpani, and a bass sackbut for the second evening. The choir is made up of seven (count them) sopranos, one female and three male altos, four tenors, and three basses, without detectable loss of responsiveness and flexibility, and the solo quartet acquits itself admirably. Harvey’s BWV 56 is outstanding. Lunn and Towers, incidentally, pull double duty, singing in the choir as well as offering their solos.

As expected, Gardiner uses the original scoring––without Wilhelm Friedemann’s high trumpets––in Ein feste Burg (Cantata 80). Obviously it’s an (perhaps the) appropriate choice, but it set me to wondering about what seems to be an obsession among the period-practice set with composers’ first thoughts––their need to find the earliest version of any score, as if the original inspiration is automatically diminished by any subsequent modifications. We know that Bach’s music was nearly always created under the most intense pressure, and that he was constantly tinkering with it, usually out of necessity, but, who knows, perhaps out of conviction. I know that I, operating at a much lower level of inspiration, am continually tweaking whatever I happen to be working on. Recording artists, especially in the classical field, if they are successful enough, revisit music that they have already committed to disc. First thoughts are not invariably best. That’s why there are erasers on pencils and an Undo button on the Word toolbar. We’ll never know, of course, but isn’t it possible that Bach might have mentioned casually to his son that he wished he’d put some trumpets in that music he wrote for Reformation Sunday? Well, no matter. In fact, Gardiner does have a sonic surprise for us in Cantata 80, an unexpectedly prominent bass sackbut. And why not? The production is, as anticipated, exemplary. Most enthusiastically recommended.

FANFARE: George Chien