Best Bach Complete Cantatas Box

[aligreto]

Leusink not getting much praise is understandable, I think.

Taste is a very objective thing obviously. I did buy a number of the Leusink recordings but I sold them on almost as soon as I heard them.

[Ken B]

Leusink not getting much praise is understandable, I think.

I'll praise it! Vigorous and lively. Some discs are excellent, some ragged. I'll take it over Rilling. Not in the same league as the best HIP sets, but nothing to sneeze at either.

[Gorio1968]

A couple of years late to this discussion but I find myself listening more often to Bach's cantatas and I wanted to thank you all for voting. I ended up spending lot of money based on your discussion, all of it well spent. I stayed lurking for so long as it has taken me a long time to dare express an opinion on works I treasure so highly and I still have not listened to all the recordings in any one set.

My go-to cantata recordings are Philippe Herreweghe and I wish he had a complete set, but my vote has gone to Suzuki who is normally a safe choice. However, it really depends on if I want my taste-challenged, in which case Harnoncourt & Leonhardt, I also greatly enjoy Gardiner who at times excels beyond even Herreweghe. I also dip into Kuijken (an honorable mention). However, Rilling, Leusink, and Koopman all have their place and I can also really enjoy them - or occasionally quickly switch to Suzuki or Gardiner when, to my ears, they fall below par.

I wonder if any of you have changed in taste since you voted or if anyone else has anything to add?

[Traverso]

I'm not that fond of the old-fashioned Bach, so I prefer HIP/PI or HIP-influenced performances.
And I do like Herreweghe and Coin, too.
And Milnes, Kuijken, Junghänel, Pierlot, et cetera and et al.

But from the integrals (so far), I still think that Leonhardt and Harnoncourt offer the most expressive, thoughful and credible set.
Some (or even many) may dislike the boy sopranos, well, I don't. Most of them doing are doing a very good job IMO.
Paul Esswood was a great countertenor, René Jacobs had a very flexible voice in his younger years, Kurt Equiluz and Max van Egmond were both very impressive Bach singers, and Ruud van der Meer is mostly very reliable, too.
The quality of interpretation stays on level, the quality of playing improves. The same goes for Koopman, whilst Suzuki, for instance, is getting more slick and smooth during his journey. Gardiner's set is live, but the overall quality is truly impressive. Of course there are ups and downs, but I like these 'later' recordings better than many of his earlier studio cantata work for Deutsche Grammophon.
I don't own the integral Rilling, but I do have about 20 discs, and I don't think I'm ever going to buy the entire set. I do admire some great voices from the past, but in most cases Rilling's approach just doesn't seem to work for me anymore.

All of this of course being very personal and subjective, and I do realize that many Bach lovers and listeners will just shake their heads in disbelief, but, there you have it: I like the Leonhardt/Harnoncourt box best!

Welll I agree  with  most  of what  you  say. I'm listening  to the Koopman  set  but I can"t  help it that the Harnoncourt/Leonhardt  set still  holds their ground  and   as  the most expressive.

Musical  sermons
I like that, it is a good and sensitive observation

[Ken B]

I still like Suzuki best. I prefer H&L to Gardiner most of the time.

It's a bit scary we can find so many people who have heard so many complete recordings! I have heard 4 cycles complete and large chunks of 3 more. Yikes.

[Gorio1968]

It took me far too long to start listening to Bach's Cantatas but I then realized what pearls they are, thus I started the collecting. It always surprises me when I come across people who have not listened to more than the top handful, I think I am less surprised to discover those that have listened to them have more than one set.

[Traverso]

It took me far too long to start listening to Bach's Cantatas but I then realized what pearls they are, thus I started the collecting. It always surprises me when I come across people who have not listened to more than the top handful, I think I am less surprised to discover those that have listened to them have more than one set.

You can't  love  what  you  don't  know. The  cantatas  are a source  of everlasting  joy.

[Harry]

For me this would be Suzuki, without doubt. Not one CD in this complete survey disappointed me. Apart from the voice of Robin Blaze, which can be annoying, its perfect in every other sense.

[Madiel]

My taste hasn't changed because I still haven't even finished the Suzuki recordings - no plans to start listening to anyone else in the meantime. About 6 years and 2 months so far...