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Bach: Cantatas Vol 10 / Suzuki, Bach Collegium Japan

Baroque Spiritual Virtuosic Uplifting Dramatic
$21.99 Only 2 left

Details

Composer
BACH, J.S.
Artist
Ma, Makoto, Suzuki, Miah, Sakurada, Peter, Persson, Robin, Kooij, Blaze
Format
CD
Label
BIS
Released
Jun 01, 1999
Catalog #
BIS-CD-951
UPC
7318590009512

About

This 10th volume in BIS's ongoing Bach cantata series features three works Bach composed during his first summer in Leipzig. While BWV 179 certainly has been recorded more frequently, BVW 186 (Ärgre dich, o Seele, nicht) is the most significant of the three because of its greater length and because it marks Bach's return to two-part cantata form. Based on a revised lost cantata originally composed at Weimar, this is a remarkably assured work, grand in conception yet subtle in its underlying beauty. The opening chorus must be counted among Bach's most stately, its impact augmented by multiple oboes, strings, and full continuo. Among the soloists, tenor Makato Sakurada delivers an introspective fourth-movement recitative that perfectly sets up his spirited fifth-movement aria. Equally distinguished is the 10th-movement duet, expertly harmonized by countertenor Robin Blaze and soprano Miah Persson--a dance that steps as high as any we've heard from Bach so far.

The popularity of BWV 179--Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurcht nicht Heuchelei sei (Make sure that your fear of God is not hypocrisy)--is understandable since it not only includes one of Bach's most exciting opening choruses, but also gives unusual dramatic license to the soloists through the text's many self-deprecating references. In respect to the latter, for its sheer declarative power, no recording surpasses Karl Richter's awe-inspiring 1976 Archiv account featuring Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Peter Schreier, and Edith Mathis. While not quite up to Richter's level, Suzuki and his forces offer their own interpretive details. For instance, in the fifth-movement aria Suzuki broadens the tempo, and the additional time (more than a minute longer than Richter's version) heightens Persson's characterization of wanton shame and pity. The only performance slower than Suzuki's (more than a minute longer!) is Gunther Ramin's, where Elisabeth Meinel-Asbahr's ruthless, devastating anguish guarantees tears.

BWV 105--Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht mit deinem Knecht (Lord, do not enter into judgment with thy servant)--also features many inspired moments. The magnificent, brooding opening chorus is most engaging, and tenor Sakurada's beautifully rendered espousal of determination in his fifth-movement aria is superb--as is the final chorale, where Bach's clever, near-dissonant string writing effectively alludes to weariness if not weeping, the gradually slowing pulse eventually leading to resigned calm.

As usual with this series Suzuki and his colleagues deliver performances that more often than not are without peer. Faithfully captured by BIS's expert engineering team, their ongoing cycle promises to be the most consistently rewarding one currently or previously available.

--John Greene, ClassicsToday.com

Tracklist 23 tracks

  1. 1 Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht (Chorus) 05:06
    Track
    1
    Title
    Herr, gehe nicht ins Gericht (Chorus)
    Duration
    05:06
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  2. 2 Recitative: Mein Gott, verwirf mich nicht (Alto) 00:53
    Track
    2
    Title
    Recitative: Mein Gott, verwirf mich nicht (Alto)
    Duration
    00:53
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  3. 3 Aria: Wie zittern und wanken (Soprano) 06:04
    Track
    3
    Title
    Aria: Wie zittern und wanken (Soprano)
    Duration
    06:04
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  4. 4 Recitative: Wohl aber dem, der seinen Bürgen weiss (Bass) 02:10
    Track
    4
    Title
    Recitative: Wohl aber dem, der seinen Bürgen weiss (Bass)
    Duration
    02:10
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  5. 5 Aria: Kann ich nur Jesum mir zum Freude (Tenor) 05:15
    Track
    5
    Title
    Aria: Kann ich nur Jesum mir zum Freude (Tenor)
    Duration
    05:15
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  6. 6 Chorale: Nun, ich weiss, du wirst mir stillen 01:51
    Track
    6
    Title
    Chorale: Nun, ich weiss, du wirst mir stillen
    Duration
    01:51
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  7. 7 Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurch (Chorus) 02:50
    Track
    7
    Title
    Siehe zu, dass deine Gottesfurch (Chorus)
    Duration
    02:50
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  8. 8 Recitatve: Das heut´ge Christentum (Tenor) 01:02
    Track
    8
    Title
    Recitatve: Das heut´ge Christentum (Tenor)
    Duration
    01:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  9. 9 Aria: Falscher Heuchler Ebenbild (Tenor) 02:33
    Track
    9
    Title
    Aria: Falscher Heuchler Ebenbild (Tenor)
    Duration
    02:33
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  10. 10 Recitative: Wer so von innen wie von aussen ist (Bass) 01:35
    Track
    10
    Title
    Recitative: Wer so von innen wie von aussen ist (Bass)
    Duration
    01:35
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  11. 11 Aria : Liebster Gott, erbarme dich (Soprano) 05:36
    Track
    11
    Title
    Aria : Liebster Gott, erbarme dich (Soprano)
    Duration
    05:36
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  12. 12 Chorale: Ich armer Mensch, ich armer Sunder 01:02
    Track
    12
    Title
    Chorale: Ich armer Mensch, ich armer Sunder
    Duration
    01:02
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  13. 13 Argre dich, o Seele, nicht (Chorus) 03:17
    Track
    13
    Title
    Argre dich, o Seele, nicht (Chorus)
    Duration
    03:17
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  14. 14 Recitative: Die Knechtsgestalt, die Not, der Mangel (Bass) 01:31
    Track
    14
    Title
    Recitative: Die Knechtsgestalt, die Not, der Mangel (Bass)
    Duration
    01:31
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  15. 15 Aria: Bist du, der mir helfen soll (Bass) 01:58
    Track
    15
    Title
    Aria: Bist du, der mir helfen soll (Bass)
    Duration
    01:58
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  16. 16 Recitative: Ach, dass ein Christ so sehr (Tenor) 02:20
    Track
    16
    Title
    Recitative: Ach, dass ein Christ so sehr (Tenor)
    Duration
    02:20
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  17. 17 Aria: Mein Heiland lasst sich merken (Tenor) 02:43
    Track
    17
    Title
    Aria: Mein Heiland lasst sich merken (Tenor)
    Duration
    02:43
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  18. 18 Chorale: Ob sichs anliess, als wollt er nicht 01:58
    Track
    18
    Title
    Chorale: Ob sichs anliess, als wollt er nicht
    Duration
    01:58
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  19. 19 Recitative: Es ist die Welt die grosse Wustenei (Bass) 01:32
    Track
    19
    Title
    Recitative: Es ist die Welt die grosse Wustenei (Bass)
    Duration
    01:32
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  20. 20 Aria: Die Armen will der Herr umarmen (Soprano) 03:03
    Track
    20
    Title
    Aria: Die Armen will der Herr umarmen (Soprano)
    Duration
    03:03
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  21. 21 Recitative: Nun mag die Welt (Alto) 01:45
    Track
    21
    Title
    Recitative: Nun mag die Welt (Alto)
    Duration
    01:45
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  22. 22 Aria: Lass, Seele, kein Leiden (Soprano, Alto) 03:46
    Track
    22
    Title
    Aria: Lass, Seele, kein Leiden (Soprano, Alto)
    Duration
    03:46
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach
  23. 23 Chorale: Die Hoffnung wart´ der rechten Zeit 01:57
    Track
    23
    Title
    Chorale: Die Hoffnung wart´ der rechten Zeit
    Duration
    01:57
    Composer
    Johann Sebastian Bach