Topic: Bach Cantatas (Poll)

[KevinP]

How many of Bach's cantatas do you own?
And how familiar are you with them all? It's pretty easy to get them all in one large box set, but these sets are so large that it would take a very strong dedication to listen them all without getting sidetracked by other music.

Sorry about the large range in the categories (what would someone with 35 pick?), but I didn't want to make too minute categories either. (And I'd pick option 4 if I had 35.)

[kishnevi]

I would have to combine two answers.   I have them all in multiple renditions (at a minimum, three) but a vast number of them I've only given too few listens to be able to know them in any meaningful way.

[jochanaan]

I only have a few, but I have listened to the ones I've got.  (Does it count that I've played No. 6 and sung No. 4?  )

[DavidW]

I would have to combine two answers.   I have them all in multiple renditions (at a minimum, three) but a vast number of them I've only given too few listens to be able to know them in any meaningful way.

This.

I've heard multiple sets, and several individual recordings but only feel like I really know a handful of them.  With each one it is an experience while listening, but few stick in my mind.  It's simply too much music for my brain to grasp.

[KevinP]

Pretty hard to cover every choice with this question. 

[marvinbrown]

  I have them all and have heard them all.  I believe that I am familiar with a large amount of these fine works.  I would never claim that I know all or even most of them.  Music that takes a lifetime to compose will take a lifetime to get to know well!

  marvin

[knight66]

I have deliberately not bought a complete set for the very reason that I know I would end up with a lot of discs I have not listened to. I have about 110 of them and am consciously growing them slowly. I have a lot in multiple versions. Most recently I have been filing in gaps with the Gardiner Soli discs when I see them at a good price. But even in this fits and starts way there are many I still don't know well, as there are quite a lot I am addicted to. So when I think...Bach, a cantata....i so often go to the specific sources of my addition for a fix, then fall back satiated for a short time, then return to haul out another narcotic performance.

Mike

[71 dB]

How many of Bach's cantatas do you own?

Volumes 1 - 49 + 2 secular cantatas discs of BCJ/Suzuki cycle + half dozen other discs of Bach cantatas. How many is that? Maybe around 180 or 80 % of all.

And how familiar are you with them all? It's pretty easy to get them all in one large box set, but these sets are so large that it would take a very strong dedication to listen them all without getting sidetracked by other music.

Not that familiar. Most of them I have listened only once. Some famililar cantatas I have heard many times. Dedication is surely needed. I'm planning on starting the "serious" listening once BCJ/Suzuki cycle is completed and I have them all.

[The new erato]

1 + 2. I have them all (most of them in two or more versions), have heard them all (most of them several times), but are familiar (whatever that means) with only a handful.

[(: premont :)]

1 + 2. I have them all (most of them in two or more versions), have heard them all (most of them several times), but are familiar (whatever that means) with only a handful.

I own all (somewhere between 3 and 7 versions).
So far I have heard about one third of all these CDs.

[KevinP]

The only 'completely complete' set I have is Rilling's, if only because it's reasonably priced. But I also have the 'complete incomplete' sets of Richter (26 discs), Werner (20 discs) and Ristenpart/RIAS (9 discs)--that is, these are the complete collection of the ones they recorded but they didn't record them all. I also have this set:


I just received the secular set and the RIAS today so don't expect any definitive answers if you have any questions (but feel free to ask).

Although aborted, the RIAS was the first attempt to record the entire cycle and started in 1947.

(bought the five boxes, not the one big one.)

[Martin Lind]

I recently bought the complete cantatas with Rilling. I like the box. Before that I had 5 CDs with Rotzsch and maybe 25 with Leusink. I like the Rotzsch but I don't like the Leusink. I think the counter tenor in the Leusink sounds awfull. The Rilling has very good singers and sounds impressive. I have listened to the first 6 CDs in the box.

[aligreto]

I chose the last option as I love these works. It has been said that JSB wrote some of his finest work in his Cantatas. Yes there is a lot of music there to consume here but one way that I have done it a number of times, including this current year, is to listen to the appropriate Cantata on the relevant Liturgical Feast Day. That way you can do it in bite sized chunks and also have relevance.

[71 dB]

It took me almost 20 years to collect the BIS/Suzuki recordings of Bach's Church Cantatas. The amount of those cantatas is pretty overhelming and a lot of the times I haven't even been in the mood for this type for music. I was for the most part collecting for future listening. It was always my plan that I start to listen to the cantatas more when I have them all. Now that I am more into classical music again, listening to these cantatas is good escapism from the ugly things happening in the World. So, I started listening to the cantatas in BWV order. I have listened to BWV1-4 today. I want to generate my own "essential cantatas list." Of those four cantatas BWV1 & BWV 4 are "essential" to me, while the other two are not.

[aligreto]

It took me almost 20 years to collect the BIS/Suzuki recordings of Bach's Church Cantatas. The amount of those cantatas is pretty overhelming and a lot of the times I haven't even been in the mood for this type for music. I was for the most part collecting for future listening. It was always my plan that I start to listen to the cantatas more when I have them all. Now that I am more into classical music again, listening to these cantatas is good escapism from the ugly things happening in the World. So, I started listening to the cantatas in BWV order. I have listened to BWV1-4 today. I want to generate my own "essential cantatas list." Of those four cantatas BWV1 & BWV 4 are "essential" to me, while the other two are not.

That was a very good strategy by you at the time; good foresight.

[71 dB]

Today I listened to Cantatas BVW 5-8. Of these BVW 8 gets my "essential" approval mainly because of its great opening choral. Good stuff! 

If I listen to four cantatas every week, this will take me a year! 

That was a very good strategy by you at the time; good foresight.

BIS had just begun their Suzuki cycle in the 90's. I was able to get the volume 1 at low price, because it was special issue with BIS CATALOGUE 1998 with extra sample tracks by other baroque composers. I liked the commitment, so I decided to collect all the volumes...

[(: premont :)]

If I listen to four cantatas every day, this will take me a year! 

You must mean every week.

[71 dB]

You must mean every week.

Yeah, of course... 

[Ganondorf]

I'm actually still not through with listening all of Bach's cantatas, there having been months when I haven't listened even one! Luckily I remember where I am currently.

[aligreto]

Today I listened to Cantatas BVW 5-8. Of these BVW 8 gets my "essential" approval mainly because of its great opening choral. Good stuff! 

If I listen to four cantatas every week, this will take me a year! 

BIS had just begun their Suzuki cycle in the 90's. I was able to get the volume 1 at low price, because it was special issue with BIS CATALOGUE 1998 with extra sample tracks by other baroque composers. I liked the commitment, so I decided to collect all the volumes...

I came a little late to the Suzuki cycle.
I had one or two individual discs but I eventually opted for all of the box sets in this series:





To be honest, they would not be my first choice in the Bach Cantatas but, at the same time, I am glad that I own this cycle.