JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

 

Cantatas Volume 6

 

Cantatas for the Twelfth Sunday Trinity

Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele BWV 69a

Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren BWV 137

Geist und Seele wird verwirret BWV 35

 

Soloists: Katharine Fuge, Robin Tyson, Christoph Genz, Peter Harvey

Recorded: Jakobskirche, Köthen

 

Cantata for the Thirteenth Sunday Trinity

Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren, lieben BWV 77

Ihr, die ihr euch von Christo nennet BWV 164

Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ BWV 33

 

Soloists: Gillian Keith, Nathalie Stutzmann, Christoph Genz, Jonathan Brown

Recorded: Dreikönigskirche, Frankfurt

 

The Monteverdi Choir, The English Baroque Soloists / John Eliot Gardiner

 

Soli Deo Gloria’s autumn release combines recordings from Köthen and Frankfurt.  Bach arrived in Köthen as ‘Kapellmeister and director of our chamber music’ in 1717. Köthen provides one of the most cheerful programmes of the whole Trinity season. After so many consecutive weeks of fire and brimstone comes the huge relief of three genial, celebratory pieces. The opening chorus of BWV 69a Lobe den Herrn, meine Seele is freely composed and on the grandest scale. Bach is exultant, profiting from the colour contrasts available from the three groupings of his orchestra (brass, woodwind and strings).  In 1725 Bach came up with another winner, BWV 137 Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren  It is a comparative rarity, his first cantata to have been constructed as a series of chorale variations in over twenty years.  The highlight of the Frankfurt programme arguably is BWV 77 Du sollt Gott, deinen Herren lieben.  Once again Bach does not disappoint. Here is one of those breathtaking, monumental opening choruses that defy rational explanation.

           

“What makes Gardiner worth following is his understanding of the music. From his notes it’s clear that he sees these cantatas not just as musical marvels but as deeply felt religious allegories, which is likely how Bach himself saw them. And what emanates from this dual understanding is a wealth of imaginative detail…I impatiently await the next installment.” (Andrew Farach-Colton, Gramophone)

 

“Once again, Gardiner’s Monteverdi Choir is the jewel in the crown of each cantata performance. Add to that Gardiner’s dramatic, electric response to music he clearly loves and you have a set that rivals his Gramophone Record of the Year Award winning disc that launched this incredible series.”

(James Jolly, Editor’s Choice, Gramophone)

 

Monteverdi Productions 2cds SDG134