Bach’s cantatas can
confidently be described as music’s
greatest treasure-trove, and with distinguished
performances directed by the likes of
Sigiswald Kuijken, Sir John Eliot Gardiner
and Ton Koopman, the discoveries continue.
This collection from Kuijken’s ongoing
project couples cantatas from the post-Christmas
period, one (BWV16) from 1726, the remainder
from 1724.
Herr Gott, dich
loben wir, BWV16, reflects an optimism
appropriate to the New Year celebrations,
and this performance has a vitality
in keeping with this mood. The other
three cantatas are somewhat more equivocal;
that is to say, their range of emotion
is wider and more complex. For example,
Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind,
BWV153, occupies that typical ground,
the search for faith through perseverance,
and the resulting achievement of consolation.
Sie werden aus Saba
alle kommen, BWV65, was written
for the Feast of Epiphany. For the following
Sunday in 1724, Bach composed Mein
liebster Jesus ist verloren, BWV154.
This cantata is both personal and dramatic,
since it deals with the anguish of Mary
and Joseph when the young Jesus became
lost in the Jerusalem temple. The religious
meaning of this turns the story on its
head, of course, since we mortals are
lost when we are not in the presence
of Christ.
This collection of
cantatas therefore offers a satisfyingly
varied experience for any listener who
is inclined to hear them all one after
the other, even if Bach never intended
such a procedure. And the performances
and the beautifully recorded sound will
certainly encourage any sensitive listener
to indulge.
Sigiswald Kuijken prefers
smaller forces, and his detailed and
well written booklet notes are informative,
thorough and full of insights. On the
presentation front, however, it is a
pity that the listings of tracks are
not printed more clearly: darker blue
on lighter blue may have inspired the
designer, but it hardly helps the reader.
The instrumental ensemble
numbers seven strings plus winds and
continuo, but it is the vocal contributions
that require the most comment. For this
is ‘one voice to a part’ Bach, the approach
first put forward on record by Joshua
Rifkin. Since we are dealing with the
most flexible and indestructible of
composers, the performances work well
enough, and in any case the crucial
issue of numbers only affects choruses
and chorales. Although the choruses
are Bach’s most complex movements, it
is in the harmonised choral settings
that most doubts occur. All four singers
are suitably talented and perform stylishly
and sympathetically, but to my ears
the blend of sound is not quite in focus,
the bass voice of Jan Van der Crabben
sometimes sounding too separated in
the texture.
Kuijken’s performances
are never lacking in drama, and the
tempi always feel right. The tenor Jan
Kobow is an excellent singer and his
arias are beautifully done. He is even
better than the reliable Gerd Turk,
Masaaki Suzuki’s tenor, in BWV153 (BIS
CD1221), in terms of characterisation.
And Kobow’s aria in BWV65 has a theme
so obstinately memorable that it will
stay in the mind for days. In this cantata
there is also an exotic combination
of sounds, with the combination of recorders,
oboes da caccia and corni da caccia.
For prospective purchasers
the issues will surround the ‘one voice
to a part’ experience. Kuijken’s approach
has much to commend it, but his performances
do lack the variety of texture and sound
perspective that is to be found with
Suzuki, Gardiner and Koopman.
Terry Barfoot
for details
ACCENT
SACD ACC 25304 [61:32] 
