SDG
Bach: Cantatas Vol 24 / Gardiner, English Baroque Soloists
$37.99
Details
- Composer
- BACH, J.S.
- Artist
- English Baroque Soloists, Gardiner
- Format
- CD
- Label
- SDG
- Released
- Mar 05, 2005
- Catalog #
- SDG 107
- UPC
- 843183010721
About
Listeners whose knowledge of German, like mine, encompasses the titles of Wagner’s operas but little more are prone to identify Bach’s cantatas by their BWV designations (as above), even though the numbers are essentially meaningless––remnants of a time when musicology was a hobby, not a discipline. One can only hope that Gardiner (and Koopman and Suzuki as well) will provide an index upon completion of the cycle. Gardiner organized his Cantata Pilgrimage by function, not by number, and the recorded edition is supposed to suit. But the random order of its first three releases suggests that you may have to acquire the complete set in order to achieve the intended sequence.
Volume 24 (following Volumes 1 and 8) is devoted to cantatas for the third Sunday after Easter––BWV 12 (composed in Weimar, 1714), BWV 103 (1725), and BWV 146 (1726 or 1728) and the fourth Sunday after Easter––BWV 116 (1724) and BWV 108 (1725). The original purpose of Cantata 117, composed between 1728 and 1731, is not known. Undoubtedly the best known of the six cantatas is No. 12, owing to its exquisite opening sinfonia for oboe and strings and the extraordinary following chorus––later adapted transformed into the Crucifixus of the B-Minor Mass––that has few rivals in all of music. Cantata 146 features another adaptation, this time in reverse; its opening sinfonia and first chorus are taken from the first two movements of the D-Minor Harpsichord Concerto (itself derived from a lost violin concerto), with the solo part, undoubtedly played by Bach himself, assigned to the organ. The transcription of the first movement is straightforward enough, but the integration of the chorus into the second movement is yet another example of Bach’s remarkable ingenuity. Cantata 103 was composed during Bach’s second annual cycle at Leipzig, but it came after he had abandoned the chorale cantata format. Like BWV 12 and 146, it traces a progression from grief to triumph. The duality is expressed in the opening chorus: sorrowful melismas sung against the joyful figurations of a solo violin and soprano recorder lead to an exultant conclusion.
The cantatas for Easter, composed for the first two Leipzig cycles, seem to be more modestly conceived. Both open with a bass solo rather than the expected choral fantasia, and in each the argument is carried by its arias. The choir’s soprano section makes an appearance in BWV 166, intoning a chorale; in BWV 108 a brief but energetic (and surprisingly complex) triple fugue lends emphasis to the day’s message. Both cantatas end with the usual four-part chorale. Cantata 117 is exceptional for two reasons. Individual programs for the Cantata Pilgrimage had to be adjusted when the catalog of extant cantatas contained either too many or too few cantatas, and to accommodate cantatas that have no known function. No. 117 is such a cantata and a masterpiece to boot. It is one the few cantatas in which the texts for all verses are taken directly from the original chorale. Each verse ends with the words “Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!” (“Give honor to our God!”), but each instance is set to different music, except for the first and the last verses, which were unusually set to the same music. Gardiner’s notes mention some numerological speculation that has to be considered fantastic, whether it’s true or imagined. Read it and scratch your head.
With six discs down and 45 to go, only one musician, violist Colin Kitching, still has perfect attendance.
Performances, recording, and presentation are superb. It’s getting harder to choose just one cantata series. Get them all!
George Chien, FANFARE
Volume 24 (following Volumes 1 and 8) is devoted to cantatas for the third Sunday after Easter––BWV 12 (composed in Weimar, 1714), BWV 103 (1725), and BWV 146 (1726 or 1728) and the fourth Sunday after Easter––BWV 116 (1724) and BWV 108 (1725). The original purpose of Cantata 117, composed between 1728 and 1731, is not known. Undoubtedly the best known of the six cantatas is No. 12, owing to its exquisite opening sinfonia for oboe and strings and the extraordinary following chorus––later adapted transformed into the Crucifixus of the B-Minor Mass––that has few rivals in all of music. Cantata 146 features another adaptation, this time in reverse; its opening sinfonia and first chorus are taken from the first two movements of the D-Minor Harpsichord Concerto (itself derived from a lost violin concerto), with the solo part, undoubtedly played by Bach himself, assigned to the organ. The transcription of the first movement is straightforward enough, but the integration of the chorus into the second movement is yet another example of Bach’s remarkable ingenuity. Cantata 103 was composed during Bach’s second annual cycle at Leipzig, but it came after he had abandoned the chorale cantata format. Like BWV 12 and 146, it traces a progression from grief to triumph. The duality is expressed in the opening chorus: sorrowful melismas sung against the joyful figurations of a solo violin and soprano recorder lead to an exultant conclusion.
The cantatas for Easter, composed for the first two Leipzig cycles, seem to be more modestly conceived. Both open with a bass solo rather than the expected choral fantasia, and in each the argument is carried by its arias. The choir’s soprano section makes an appearance in BWV 166, intoning a chorale; in BWV 108 a brief but energetic (and surprisingly complex) triple fugue lends emphasis to the day’s message. Both cantatas end with the usual four-part chorale. Cantata 117 is exceptional for two reasons. Individual programs for the Cantata Pilgrimage had to be adjusted when the catalog of extant cantatas contained either too many or too few cantatas, and to accommodate cantatas that have no known function. No. 117 is such a cantata and a masterpiece to boot. It is one the few cantatas in which the texts for all verses are taken directly from the original chorale. Each verse ends with the words “Gebt unserm Gott die Ehre!” (“Give honor to our God!”), but each instance is set to different music, except for the first and the last verses, which were unusually set to the same music. Gardiner’s notes mention some numerological speculation that has to be considered fantastic, whether it’s true or imagined. Read it and scratch your head.
With six discs down and 45 to go, only one musician, violist Colin Kitching, still has perfect attendance.
Performances, recording, and presentation are superb. It’s getting harder to choose just one cantata series. Get them all!
George Chien, FANFARE
Tracklist 42 tracks
- Disc 1
-
1 Sinfonia 02:19
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Sinfonia
- Duration
- 02:19
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
2 Weinen, Klagen (Chorus) 07:34
- Track
- 2
- Title
- Weinen, Klagen (Chorus)
- Duration
- 07:34
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
3 Recitative: Wir mussen durch viel Trubsal (Alto) 00:48
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Recitative: Wir mussen durch viel Trubsal (Alto)
- Duration
- 00:48
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- William Towers
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
4 Aria: Kreuz und Krone sigs verbunden (Alto) 05:40
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Aria: Kreuz und Krone sigs verbunden (Alto)
- Duration
- 05:40
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- William Towers
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
5 Aria: Ich folge Christo nach (Bass) 01:45
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Aria: Ich folge Christo nach (Bass)
- Duration
- 01:45
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Julian Clarkson
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
6 Aria and Chorale: Sei getreu, alle Pein (Tenor) 03:37
- Track
- 6
- Title
- Aria and Chorale: Sei getreu, alle Pein (Tenor)
- Duration
- 03:37
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Mark Padmore
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
7 Chorale: Was Gott tut 00:53
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Chorale: Was Gott tut
- Duration
- 00:53
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
8 Chorale and Aria; Ihr werdet weinen und heulen (Bass) 05:23
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Chorale and Aria; Ihr werdet weinen und heulen (Bass)
- Duration
- 05:23
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Julian Clarkson
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
9 Recitative: Wer sollte nicht in Klagen untergehn (Tenor) 00:33
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Recitative: Wer sollte nicht in Klagen untergehn (Tenor)
- Duration
- 00:33
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Mark Padmore
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
10 Aria: Kein Arzt ist ausser dir zu finden (Alto) 04:37
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Aria: Kein Arzt ist ausser dir zu finden (Alto)
- Duration
- 04:37
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- William Towers
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
11 Recitative: Du wirst mich nach der Angst (Alto) 00:34
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Recitative: Du wirst mich nach der Angst (Alto)
- Duration
- 00:34
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- William Towers
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
12 Aria: Erholet euch, betrubte Sinnen (Tenor) 02:48
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Aria: Erholet euch, betrubte Sinnen (Tenor)
- Duration
- 02:48
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Mark Padmore
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
13 Chorale: Ich hab dich einen Augenblick 01:11
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Chorale: Ich hab dich einen Augenblick
- Duration
- 01:11
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
14 Sinfonia 07:32
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Sinfonia
- Duration
- 07:32
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
15 Chorale: Wir mussen durch viel Trubsal 07:45
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Chorale: Wir mussen durch viel Trubsal
- Duration
- 07:45
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
16 Aria: Ich will nach dem Himmel zu (Alto) 08:59
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Aria: Ich will nach dem Himmel zu (Alto)
- Duration
- 08:59
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- William Towers
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
17 Recitative: Ach! wer doch schon im Himmel war! (Soprano) 01:31
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Recitative: Ach! wer doch schon im Himmel war! (Soprano)
- Duration
- 01:31
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Brigitte Geller
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
18 Aria: Ich sae meine Zahren (Soprano) 05:12
- Track
- 18
- Title
- Aria: Ich sae meine Zahren (Soprano)
- Duration
- 05:12
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Brigitte Geller
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
19 Recitative: Ich bin bereit (Tenor) 01:09
- Track
- 19
- Title
- Recitative: Ich bin bereit (Tenor)
- Duration
- 01:09
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Mark Padmore
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
20 Aria Duet: Wie will ich mich freuen (Tenor, Bass) 05:24
- Track
- 20
- Title
- Aria Duet: Wie will ich mich freuen (Tenor, Bass)
- Duration
- 05:24
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Mark Padmore, Julian Clarkson
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
21 Chorale: Denn wer selig dahin fahret 01:17
- Track
- 21
- Title
- Chorale: Denn wer selig dahin fahret
- Duration
- 01:17
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
- Disc 2
-
1 Aria: Wo gehest du hin? (Bass) 01:59
- Track
- 1
- Title
- Aria: Wo gehest du hin? (Bass)
- Duration
- 01:59
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Stephen Varcoe
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
2 Aria: Ich will an den Himmel denken (Tenor) 07:36
- Track
- 2
- Title
- Aria: Ich will an den Himmel denken (Tenor)
- Duration
- 07:36
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- James Gilchrist
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
3 Chorale: Ich bitte dich, Herr Jesu Christ (Soprano) 02:38
- Track
- 3
- Title
- Chorale: Ich bitte dich, Herr Jesu Christ (Soprano)
- Duration
- 02:38
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
4 Recitative: Gleichwie die Regenwasser bald verfliessen (Bass) 00:46
- Track
- 4
- Title
- Recitative: Gleichwie die Regenwasser bald verfliessen (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:46
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Stephen Varcoe
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
5 Aria: Man nehme sich in Acht (Alto) 02:55
- Track
- 5
- Title
- Aria: Man nehme sich in Acht (Alto)
- Duration
- 02:55
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Robin Tyson
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
6 ChoraleL Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende! 01:13
- Track
- 6
- Title
- ChoraleL Wer weiss, wie nahe mir mein Ende!
- Duration
- 01:13
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
7 Aria: Es ist euch gut, dass ich hingehe (Bass) 03:48
- Track
- 7
- Title
- Aria: Es ist euch gut, dass ich hingehe (Bass)
- Duration
- 03:48
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Stephen Varcoe
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
8 Aria: Mich kann kein Zweifel storen (Tenor) 03:05
- Track
- 8
- Title
- Aria: Mich kann kein Zweifel storen (Tenor)
- Duration
- 03:05
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- James Gilchrist
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
9 Recitative: Dein Gesit wird mich also regieren (Tenor) 00:32
- Track
- 9
- Title
- Recitative: Dein Gesit wird mich also regieren (Tenor)
- Duration
- 00:32
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- James Gilchrist
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
10 Chorale: Wenn aber jener, der Geist der Wahrheit 02:07
- Track
- 10
- Title
- Chorale: Wenn aber jener, der Geist der Wahrheit
- Duration
- 02:07
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
11 Aira: Was mein Herz von dir begehrt (Alto) 03:23
- Track
- 11
- Title
- Aira: Was mein Herz von dir begehrt (Alto)
- Duration
- 03:23
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Robin Tyson
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
12 Chorale: Dein Geist, den Gott vom Himmel gibt 00:52
- Track
- 12
- Title
- Chorale: Dein Geist, den Gott vom Himmel gibt
- Duration
- 00:52
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
13 Chorale: Sei Lob und Ehr dem hochsten Gut 03:29
- Track
- 13
- Title
- Chorale: Sei Lob und Ehr dem hochsten Gut
- Duration
- 03:29
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
14 Recitative: Es danken dir die Himmelsheer (Bass) 00:56
- Track
- 14
- Title
- Recitative: Es danken dir die Himmelsheer (Bass)
- Duration
- 00:56
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Stephen Varcoe
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
15 Aria: Was unser Gott geschaffen hat (Tenor) 02:33
- Track
- 15
- Title
- Aria: Was unser Gott geschaffen hat (Tenor)
- Duration
- 02:33
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- James Gilchrist
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
16 Chorale: Ich rief dem Herrn in meiner Not 00:54
- Track
- 16
- Title
- Chorale: Ich rief dem Herrn in meiner Not
- Duration
- 00:54
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
17 Recitative: Der Herr ist noch und nimmer nicht (Alto) 01:20
- Track
- 17
- Title
- Recitative: Der Herr ist noch und nimmer nicht (Alto)
- Duration
- 01:20
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Robin Tyson
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
18 Aria: Wenn Trost und Hulf ermangeln muss (Bass) 04:14
- Track
- 18
- Title
- Aria: Wenn Trost und Hulf ermangeln muss (Bass)
- Duration
- 04:14
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Stephen Varcoe
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
19 Aria: Ich will dich all mein Leben lang 02:49
- Track
- 19
- Title
- Aria: Ich will dich all mein Leben lang
- Duration
- 02:49
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- Robin Tyson
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
20 Recitative: Ihr, die ihr CHristi Namen nennt (Tenor) 00:42
- Track
- 20
- Title
- Recitative: Ihr, die ihr CHristi Namen nennt (Tenor)
- Duration
- 00:42
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Performer
- James Gilchrist
- Ensemble
- English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner
-
21 Chorale: So kommet vor sein Angesicht 03:35
- Track
- 21
- Title
- Chorale: So kommet vor sein Angesicht
- Duration
- 03:35
- Composer
- Johann Sebastian Bach
- Ensemble
- Monteverdi Choir, English Baroque Soloists
- Conductor
- John Eliot Gardiner