NewOlde.com Early Music Blog

Without question, the most significant recording on the second and third disks of Koopman's volume 17, indeed on the entire volume, is the performance of BWV 35, a cantata for alto with Nathalie Stutzmann and Ton Koopman playing organ obligato. Indeed, it is one of the finest recordings of a Bach cantata that I have heard. The cantata begins with a well-known organ sinfonia that, together with the second sinfonia, "evidently form the first and last movements of a lost instrumental concerto", according to the liner notes by Christoph Wolff. As I mentioned in my comments on the first CD in this volume, Koopman's highly-ornamented organ solos are principal highlights of the series.

The second movement is long aria in 6/8 time with obligato organ. Stutzmann's performance is exceptional, with a nicely ornamented repeat. It is the antithesis of the traditional, wobbly Bach alto solo before the emergence of countertenors. Stutzmann's performances of the two subsequent and shorter arias, also with obligato organ, are likewise first rate. The recording engineers have done a masterful job of balancing the soloist and organ. The second organ sinfonia is almost Handelian. It's a movement in which a larger organ might make a noticeable difference.

BWV 35 is the first cantata on the third CD. The next cantata on this disk is BWV 17. It is one that would benefit from a OVPP performance, as it begins with a difficult chorus and ends with one of Bach's most beautiful simple chorales, in 3/4 time. The highlight is fine aria for tenor, performed here by Christoph Prégardien. A short soprano aria accompanied by two violins is less interesting, and I was not particularly enamored with the performance by Sandrine Piau.

The final cantata on CD 3 is BWV 57, a Christmas cantata for soprano and bass that has also been recorded by Herreweghe, a recording that I haven't heard. Koopman's version would be difficult to surpass, thanks to the fine vocal performances by Klaus Mertens and Sybella Rubens. Furthermore, the excellent performance rescues a work that musically is not among the best of the Bach cantatas. My one reservation is that Rubens might have added more elaborate ornamentation in the pathetic, slow aria, "Ich wünschte mir den Tod". Nothing could raise it to the level of a great, pathetic aria, such as Handel's "Se pietà", however.

The second CD in volume 17 begins with BWV 19, another cantata that would benefit from a OVPP performance. The opening movement is a fast, festive chorus with three trumpet accompaniment. The vocal parts are quite difficult. For example, the bass has 10 consecutive bars of solid 16th notes. The opening chorus and the closing choral, also with three-trumpet accompaniment, are the most interesting movements in BWV 19. I find the longest aria, a 6/8 adagio for tenor with cantus firmus played by a trumpet, to be rather boring. There is also a short soprano aria with two oboes d'amore, in which only the ritornello is repeated, and an accompagnato for tenor.

The second cantata on CD 2, BWV 13, is a rather dull musical work that the soloists fail to resuscitate. The most substantial aria, "Meine Seufzer" for tenor, oboe da caccia and recorders, is not helped by Paul Agnew, whose exaggerated, swell and fade performance makes me reach for the Skip button. Even the great Klaus Mertens can't rescue the boring bass aria, "Achzen und erbärmlich Weinen".

The final cantata on CD 2, BWV 56, is a familiar bass cantata of which there are many recordings. Koopman's, with Klaus Mertens, certainly is one of the best available. The first aria, "Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen", like much Bach keyboard music, is very difficult to perform, but perhaps not worth the effort. However, the second aria, "Endlich wird mein Joch", is one of Bach's finest bass arias. If you dozed off after the opening chorus of BWV 19 (which would be quite understandable), it's time to wake up.