Favourite Bach Aria?

Started by KevinP, September 23, 2022, 03:48:23 PM

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KevinP

Independent of the larger work that it's from, what you're favourite aria from J.S.Bach? Cantatas, larger works, etc.

Since the word was used differently then, let's clarify: a work for one singer and accompaniment, so no Goldberg aria, please. Also no Bist Du bei Mir (good as it is).

I'll probably pick the Laudamus Te from the B-minor mass. I wish he had written more arias with violin obbligatos. (I also like the early recordings of the Agnus Dei before someone figured out that it was supposed to be flute.)




LKB

While there are many Bach arias l enjoy, none have greater impact than Aus Liebe will mein Heiland sterben from the St. Matthew Passion.
Mit Flügeln, die ich mir errungen...

ritter

This was my reply in the Bach thread some time ago (and it still holds):

Quote from: ritter on August 14, 2020, 06:03:05 AM
My favourite Bach aria is this marvel:

https://www.youtube.com/v/4XeuHyWpTLE

"Tief gebückt und voller Reue" from Mein Herze schwimmt im Blut BWV 199. And I haven't chosen Dawn Upshaw' s recording by chance; it is a close to perfect as I can imagine... :)

And in No. 2 position, "Zerfliesse, mein Herze" from the St. John Passion, BWV 245. I'm particularly fond of Evelyn Lear in this (my first exposure to the aria decades ago).

https://www.youtube.com/v/R8bP0bub9IM

Operafreak

https://youtu.be/eWAAXrEFNDU



Lucia Popp - Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen (Bach, BWV 51)
The true adversary will inspire you with boundless courage.

DaveF

Far too many to choose favourites, but two perhaps lesser-known numbers that I particularly enjoy are:

Seinem Schöpfer noch auf Erden, from BWV39.  I particularly like the way that the opening oboe/violin melody is actually an ornamented version of the aris's main subject - a sort of variation before the theme;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8tdhdu14q8

Wie zittern und wanken, from BWV105 - a senza basso aria usually done at a slow, meditative pace, but which Harnoncourt takes much faster - which is the way that works for me.  The opening oboe melody may just be the most perfect thing composed by anyone, ever.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKexhH_s7hk
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

Florestan

Ich habe genug
Schafe können sicher weiden
Es ist vollbracht!
from Johannes-Passion
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Florestan

Btw, I direly need one --- and only one --- complete set of Bach's cantatas. Given that I like my Baroque music to be Romanticized a bit, and I don't care too much whether it be HIp or non-HIP, which one should I get?  :-\ TIA for your tips.
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

DaveF

Quote from: Florestan on October 05, 2022, 08:59:44 AM
Btw, I direly need one --- and only one --- complete set of Bach's cantatas. Given that I like my Baroque music to be Romanticized a bit, and I don't care too much whether it be HIp or non-HIP, which one should I get?  :-\ TIA for your tips.

One definitely to avoid is the set on Brilliant Classics conducted by Leusink - the ensemble playing and choral singing are good enough, without being distinguished, but the tenor soloist, who I believe is called Knut Schoch, is painful to listen to - sounds more like a supporter at a football match than a professional singer.

Given that you like Bach on the Romantic side, the perfect fit for you would be the Rilling set on Hänssler - modern instruments and a set of vocal superstars as soloists - Arleen Auger, Helen Donath, Helen Watts, Siegmund Nimsgern, Andreas Schmidt, to name but a few.  It's part of Hänssler's complete edition, but can be bought separately; there's currently a used copy on Amazon UK for about £50 (i.e. a lot cheaper than Brilliant's "budget" edition).
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

KevinP

I agree with the Rilling recommendation. I think it's a prefect match for your stated preference.

Would have recommended Richter, but he didn't complete the cycle.

Pohjolas Daughter

Ich habe genug  Always moves me. :)

I would have said Richter too--so many great singers and interpretations there.  Don't know Rilling's set.

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Florestan

#10
Thank you, guys and girls, will investigate Rilling and Richter then.

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 07, 2022, 04:02:34 AM
Ich habe genug  Always moves me. :)

That was one of my choices too. I loved it the very first time I heard it, with Peter Kooy, Philippe Herreweghe and La Chappelle Royale --- it's actually the only version I have.



Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Protestant sacred music in general and JS Bach in particular: I generally find them heavy-handed, dark and turbulent. The Catholics are generally lighter, more cheerful and more serene, I prefer them by a wide margin --- but I told myself that dipping my toes in Bach's cantatas can do me no harm.  :)

As for Romanticizing, my favorite Bach solo keyboard performances are Maria Tipo's on piano.  ;)

I have a love/hate relationship with the harpsichord, usually more hate than love.  ;)
Every kind of music is good, except the boring kind. — Rossini

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Florestan on October 07, 2022, 07:50:37 AM
Thank you, guys and girls, will investigate Rilling and Richter then.

That was one of my choices too. I loved it the very first time I heard it, with Peter Kooy, Philippe Herreweghe and La Chappelle Royale --- it's actually the only version I have.



Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Protestant sacred music in general and JS Bach in particular: I generally find them heavy-handed, dark and turbulent. The Catholics are generally lighter, more cheerful and more serene, I prefer them by a wide margin --- but I told myself that dipping my toes in Bach's cantatas can do me no harm.  :)

As for Romanticizing, my favorite Bach solo keyboard performances are Maria Tipo's on piano.  ;)

I have a love/hate relationship with the harpsichord, usually more hate than love.  ;)
;D I know what you mean.  I can take the harpsichord in small doses--and not that often.  :-[

PD
Pohjolas Daughter

Jo498

Quote from: Pohjolas Daughter on October 07, 2022, 04:02:34 AM
Ich habe genug  Always moves me. :)

I would have said Richter too--so many great singers and interpretations there.  Don't know Rilling's set.
Richter's is incomplete, about half? of the cantatas. I don't know all of them but Rilling was recorded over more than a decade and back then was considered a bit more "modern" than Richter although the perspective certainly changed thoroughly since then because of the dominance of historical performance practice. AFAIK Rilling's remains the only complete set on modern instruments.
The singers certainly are a plus. Another incomplete (I think around 30 cantatas) is with Rotzsch (and maybe others) and Leipzig ensembles from the 70s and 80s. They have also often stellar soloists, but an all male choir (Thomanerchor or maybe also the Dresden Kreuzchor in some) and are "inconsistent" with some historical mannerisms but modern instruments.
The famous bass/baritone cantatas like "Ich habe genug" or "Kreuzstab" have of course been recorded by many famous singers but I also think the Kooy/Herreweghe holds up very well (IIRC it has Marc Ponseele playing oboe which does not hurt).
Tout le malheur des hommes vient d'une seule chose, qui est de ne savoir pas demeurer en repos, dans une chambre.
- Blaise Pascal

KevinP

Richter's recordings of the sacred cantatas fill 26 discs. I don't recall how many cantatas that actually is, but Rilling's complete set is 71 discs (includes secular), Gardner's is 56, and Harnoncourt/Leonhardt is 60 (excludes secular).

That's less that I had remembered actually, and it includes a few repetitions--not many, but a few.

But anyway, the question regarded a one-stop purchase of the complete set, so Richter's out.

DaveF

Quote from: Florestan on October 07, 2022, 07:50:37 AM
Honestly, I'm not a big fan of Protestant sacred music in general and JS Bach in particular: I generally find them heavy-handed, dark and turbulent.

If you include Anglican music under the "Protestant" heading (depending on where you stand in the Anglican church, we either are or aren't Protestant), then Purcell's sacred music is the opposite of dark and turbulent - full of light and Italianate grace.
"All the world is birthday cake" - George Harrison

Pohjolas Daughter

Quote from: Jo498 on October 08, 2022, 01:05:40 AM
Richter's is incomplete, about half? of the cantatas. I don't know all of them but Rilling was recorded over more than a decade and back then was considered a bit more "modern" than Richter although the perspective certainly changed thoroughly since then because of the dominance of historical performance practice. AFAIK Rilling's remains the only complete set on modern instruments.
The singers certainly are a plus. Another incomplete (I think around 30 cantatas) is with Rotzsch (and maybe others) and Leipzig ensembles from the 70s and 80s. They have also often stellar soloists, but an all male choir (Thomanerchor or maybe also the Dresden Kreuzchor in some) and are "inconsistent" with some historical mannerisms but modern instruments.
The famous bass/baritone cantatas like "Ich habe genug" or "Kreuzstab" have of course been recorded by many famous singers but I also think the Kooy/Herreweghe holds up very well (IIRC it has Marc Ponseele playing oboe which does not hurt).

Quote from: KevinP on October 08, 2022, 03:17:14 PM
Richter's recordings of the sacred cantatas fill 26 discs. I don't recall how many cantatas that actually is, but Rilling's complete set is 71 discs (includes secular), Gardner's is 56, and Harnoncourt/Leonhardt is 60 (excludes secular).

That's less that I had remembered actually, and it includes a few repetitions--not many, but a few.

But anyway, the question regarded a one-stop purchase of the complete set, so Richter's out.
I'm not certain how many he recorded.  The info might be in here.  I'm being lazy at the moment and not checking the CD set that I own (which is shown here too).

https://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Richter.htm#RC

In any event, so it goes "Bye-bye".  :(

PD
Pohjolas Daughter