The Bach Cantatas

[RebLem]

Marvin, I'll give you a straight answer.
YES, it is worthwhile to explore all the other cantatas..
Many people expect repetitiveness in a cycle of 200 works, but that is simply not the case here.
And no way there are just a few masterpieces and the rest "run of the mill" quality, either.
If we are talking about the truly great cantatas: there are dozens of them.
Enjoy!
Q

I concur wholeheartedly with Q.  A while back I bought the hanssler Complete Bach Edition, and in the cantatas, I just got up through Cantata 79.  Bach wrote, I think, about 198 sacred cantatas and, at the rate I am going, probably about 135 or so are absolute masterpieces.  There are probably no more than 4-5 real duds in the bunch, and most of those are fragments which, for some damn fool reason, have been assigned BWV numbers as if they were full cantatas.  If I may make a recommendation, I just listened yesterday to the Cantatas 77, 78, and 79.  I can heartily recommend the Rilling disc of those; they are not cantatas that are on everybody's list of some of the greatest, like 4, 51, 140, etc.  but they are just wonderful, inspiring works, as almost all of them are.  You might want to go out and get this disc, because I don't think any of these have been recorded except as part of complete sets, meaning that they are not among the most famous, and yet they are absolutely wonderful works.  Get just that one CD, and see if you don't agree.

[marvinbrown]

I concur wholeheartedly with Q.  A while back I bought the hanssler Complete Bach Edition, and in the cantatas, I just got up through Cantata 79.  Bach wrote, I think, about 198 sacred cantatas and, at the rate I am going, probably about 135 or so are absolute masterpieces.  There are probably no more than 4-5 real duds in the bunch, and most of those are fragments which, for some damn fool reason, have been assigned BWV numbers as if they were full cantatas.  If I may make a recommendation, I just listened yesterday to the Cantatas 77, 78, and 79.  I can heartily recommend the Rilling disc of those; they are not cantatas that are on everybody's list of some of the greatest, like 4, 51, 140, etc.  but they are just wonderful, inspiring works, as almost all of them are.  You might want to go out and get this disc, because I don't think any of these have been recorded except as part of complete sets, meaning that they are not among the most famous, and yet they are absolutely wonderful works.  Get just that one CD, and see if you don't agree.

   Your recommendations have been noted  RebLem, thanks.
   marvin

[Novi]

Excellent choice, if I may say so!   It's my personal favourite amongst the newcomers.
Kuijken does very intimate, lyrical and fluid performances. Special about these are the small scale vocals: one voice per part - which creates a very high degree of transparancy.

Five issues to date:

       

Q

I'll definitely have to get hold of some of these. Recently, I attended a OVPP performance of the St Matthew Passion by the Dunedin Consort and it was a revelation. There was such a clarity to the lines and as you say, a kind of intimacy too. 

[Don]

If I may make a recommendation, I just listened yesterday to the Cantatas 77, 78, and 79.  I can heartily recommend the Rilling disc of those; they are not cantatas that are on everybody's list of some of the greatest, like 4, 51, 140, etc.  but they are just wonderful, inspiring works, as almost all of them are.  You might want to go out and get this disc, because I don't think any of these have been recorded except as part of complete sets, meaning that they are not among the most famous, and yet they are absolutely wonderful works. 

Not correct.  Each of those three cantatas are available from other labels without having to acquire complete sets.
For example, BWV 79 is available on a 2-cd set from Rifkin, single cd from Herreweghe, single cd from Suzuki, vol. 7 of the Gardiner series and vol. 12 from Koopman.

[71 dB]

Not correct.  Each of those three cantatas are available from other labels without having to acquire complete sets.
For example, BWV 79 is available on a 2-cd set from Rifkin, single cd from Herreweghe, single cd from Suzuki, vol. 7 of the Gardiner series and vol. 12 from Koopman.

Didn't RebLem mean you can't have all 3 cantatas on the same disc elsewhere?

[Don]

Didn't RebLem mean you can't have all 3 cantatas on the same disc elsewhere?

I can't answer as to RebLem's intent, only a reasonable take on what he wrote.  Besides, who the hell cares whether all three are on the same disc?  Well, has no significance to me.

[Grazioso]

I'm honoured to restart the thread on these materpieces! 
The earlier thread on the old forum: Bach's Cantatas


This morning I came across this issue on Mirare. Does anyone know it?




And what about this 2CD reissue on Ricercar?



Q

I haven't heard the latter, but anything with the late, lamented counter-tenor Henri Ledroit is worth a listen.

[71 dB]

I can't answer as to RebLem's intent, only a reasonable take on what he wrote.  Besides, who the hell cares whether all three are on the same disc?  Well, has no significance to me.

If sameone wants just those three cantatas only (why would anyone?) he/she needs to buy only one disc. Anyway, I agree with you Don this advantage is more or less irrelevant. I want all cantatas and I will collect all of them.

[Que]

Where are these reissues to be found Que?

They look like this - haven't seen them on American sites yet, but that should only be a matter of time.



They are 9 euros a piece at Amazon.de, 6 euros at jpc (= roughly $8,15) per disc.

Q

Just leave an additional note here on this single CD reissues of the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt cycle.
Saw them yesterday in the shop and maybe good to know (especially for non-German speakers): only tracklistings and German texts - no notes and NO translations!

Q

[Bunny]

Here's another cantatas cycle (still in progress).  I heard them do the Coffee Cantata (excellent) as well as the Christmas Oratorio (also excellent) this past season.  Here is the first volume of the cycle.  They also have one of the best Händel Messiahs around, too.

Hopefully also Harry and Que have heard this wonderful ensemble live, too. 

Ton Koopman and the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir

[Marc]

Here's another cantatas cycle (still in progress).

Actually, that project was completed last year. Koopman has already switched to Buxtehude's Opera Omnia. Should be worth listening, too!

[71 dB]

Koopman has already switched to Buxtehude's Opera Omnia. Should be worth listening, too!

That's great! 

[SonicMan46]

Well, this Sunday morn, listening to some newly acquired Bach Cantatas w/ Suzuki & the gang!  Specifically, volumes 14 & 16 (received Vol. 11 a few weeks ago) - little duplication w/ what I own currently - these continue to delight, and my first experience w/ these Suzuki performances! 

   

[Harry]

Well, this Sunday morn, listening to some newly acquired Bach Cantatas w/ Suzuki & the gang!  Specifically, volumes 14 & 16 (received Vol. 11 a few weeks ago) - little duplication w/ what I own currently - these continue to delight, and my first experience w/ these Suzuki performances! 

   

I am glad about that!

[Harry]

That's great! 

Well Gramophone thought the one with Emma Kirkby better as the Koopman!
I do too! Although my friend 71 Db did not like it, when this Dacapo disc was rereleased on Naxos, I was very positive.
More people thinking in the same line.

[71 dB]

Well Gramophone thought the one with Emma Kirkby better as the Koopman!
I do too! Although my friend 71 Db did not like it, when this Dacapo disc was rereleased on Naxos, I was very positive.
More people thinking in the same line.

I have problems with the Handel Cantata CD. On my other Emma Kirkby discs she sings nicely. Maybe someday I figure out what the problem is... ...you keep bringing this up. I wish I had never said anything about Emma K. 

[Que]

This caught my interest after reading this favourable review (in french).
Verdict: "incontournable"...

Anyone knows it?

Q

[Bunny]

This caught my interest after reading this favourable review (in french).
Verdict: "incontournable"...

Anyone knows it?

Q

I'm curious about Heinz Hennig who made the album.  Is it the same Heinz Hennig who was father of Sebastian Hennig (former boy soprano, now baritone), director of the Hannover Knabenchor who died in 2002 or another member of that family?

[Que]

I'm curious about Heinz Hennig who made the album.  Is it the same Heinz Hennig who was father of Sebastian Hennig (former boy soprano, now baritone), director of the Hannover Knabenchor who died in 2002 or another member of that family?

Yes, I understand he was the director of the Hannover Knabenchor. Didn't know he died, but the recording is from 2000. BTW, Sebastian Hennig was one of the best boys' sopranos I've ever heard.

Q

[Bunny]

Yes, I understand he was the director of the Hannover Knabenchor. Didn't know he died, but the recording is from 2000. BTW, Sebastian Hennig was one of the best boys' sopranos I've ever heard.

Q

He died in 2002.