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Site review by Polly Nomial January 4, 2007
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Performance: Sonics (MC): |
This is the third volume in ATMA's complete Bach Cantata cycle and focuses on those composed "for Mary" in the following order:
Herz und Mund und Tat und Leben - BWV 147
Ich habe genug - BWV 82
Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern - BWV 1
Directed from the organ/harpsichord by Eric Milnes, this is another disc from Montréal Baroque, whose disc Marais: Sémélé - Montréal Baroque, Wieland Kuijken I greatly enjoyed (& still do!). This cycle will inevitably be compared with the purposefully incomplete cycle under way on Accent from La Petite Bande under Wieland Kuijken. Sadly, to my ears the approach adopted by Milnes does not work as well as their (partial) competitors; this is despite the same set of performing principles being outlined in the notes (not as comprehensive as the Accent sets).
If we focus on BWV 82 and compare to that offered on Bach: Cantatas through the Liturgical Year Vol. 3 - Kuijken, it is apparent that where Kuijken applies these principles with taste and sensitivity, Milnes takes every aspect to their extremes - especially the point about pauses. Where Kuijken would use the pause as a moderate expressive device, Milnes becomes almost Pinter-esque in the length adopted and this completely disrupts the line of the music (longer or otherwise). Nor is Stephan Macleod in quite the same league of voice as Jan Van der Grabben, though admittedly he is not helped by the noticeably slower tempi.
Beyond this particularly irritating feature, the singing is largely good if not quite in the same league as other cycles in progress on SACD and RBCD. The instrumental group used is substantially larger than on the Accent cycle and more "top heavy" in the string sections which makes the textures at once more concentrated yet lighter. As with the Accent cycle, Milnes is of the mind that the chorus should only be one voice per part and this helps keep the diction clear. The orchestral playing is good (as might be expected) and the singing is good but not perhaps first class.
The other cantatas benefit from not currently having direct competition in my SACD library and so such idiosyncrasies are less tiresome in the remaining works which appear largely freshly minted in loving performances. I think though, given the approach that was adopted in BWV 82 (perhaps Milnes felt because this is very famous, more "interpretation" was needed?) that a solution for Bach fans would be to collect the Accent series and supplement their favourite works from this complete cycle as and when they are issued.
The sound, recorded in the same venue as the Marais disc shares the same pleasing properties; full sound but with plenty of detail.
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Copyright © 2007 John Broggio and SA-CD.net
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Review by audio-grubi April 16, 2008 (1 of 2 found this review helpful)
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Performance: Sonics (S/MC): / |
What language is that, in which is sung here? Is it German? I don't think so, 'cause I'm a native speaker and I'm not capable mostly to understand, what's sung here. With one reason for this is the very reverberation-y reception which contributes with to the bad text-intelligibility (recorded June 18 - 21, 2006 in the Église Saint-Augustin, Saint-Augustine de Mirabel, Québec).
But it is also because of the altogether very bad, boring and amateurish interpretation of these wonderful works of Johann Sebastian Bach through the singers and musicians. If it would really be amateur-musicians, who tried here, so the listener could still give them for the offered performances some respect, but there it occupation-musicians, which make music here, this denies must remains.
Already at unbearable torture for the ears borders the "performance" of the tenor Charles Daniels in the aria "Hilf, Jesu, Hilf, dass ich auch dich bekenne" ("Help, Jesus, help me to acknowledge You" - Track 7)! There one would really like to call Jesus about help and would like to beseech, so that this pain has an end soon. And with the bass in cantata 82 one would like to say: "Ich habe genug" ("I have enough"). But never the text was to be taken so literally in this cantata, as in this reception! When Stephan MacLeod in the second aria of cantata 82 sings "Schlummert ein, ihr matten Augen, fallet sanft und selig zu!" ("Fall asleep, you weary eyes, close gently and blissfully!" - Track 13), so the listener would like to achieve consequence quickly and gladly of this invitation, 'cause Mr. MacLeod sings in such a boring manner, that the listener feel realy tired. I have never heard a so boring interpretation of the text as it is offered here. Additionally the musicians cover the singer - that seems to stand behind the orchestra - with their volume almost completely. I have the impression, that Mr. MacLeod seemed not really to know about what he had sung.
Whoever would like to enjoy a truly outstanding interpretation of the cantata 82 should reach for the reception with Thomas Quasthoff and the Berliner Barock Soloist under the laeding of Rainer Kussmaul Bach: Cantatas - Thomas Quasthoff ! Mr. Quasthoff knows and interpreted, about what he sings.
And also because of the splendid play of the oboe through Albrecht Mayer is this reception a great and wonderful pleasure!
The best and most bearable performance in the present SACD is the chorale "Jesus bleibet meine Freude" ("Jesus shall remain my joy" - Track 10) at the end of cantata 147. But this alone is probably hardly enough in order to pronounce a recommendation for this reception. I will wait for interpretations of the Bach Collegium Japan under the management of Masaaki Suzuki.
I'm really disapointed about this recording also, because there exist already a numerous of very good recordings from ATMA Classique:
SACD22549 Debussy: La Mer - Nézet-Séguin
SACD22377 Debussy: Children's Corner - Yoav Talmi
SACD22531 Mozart: Piano Concertos Nos. 11 & 12 - Janina Fialkowska
The sound-picture is admittedly plainly and directly in the present recording, but, caused by the reception-location, with to much echos, as already to begin mentioned. A drier acoustic would have helped presumably also the singers.
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