Cantatas I
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(23)
- Coro: Ach, dass du den Himmel zerrissest; Recit. Accomp. (Basso): Der alten Väter; Arioso (Soprano, Alto): Kommt, lasst uns
- Aria (Tenore): Willkommen
- Recit. (Alto): Da alles sich erfreut
- Aria (Basso): Rüstet euch, erboste Feinde
- Choral: Schweig, arger Feind
- Coro: Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchtet
- Duetto (Soprano, Alto): Gottes süße Seelenlehre
- Coro: Selig sind, die Gottes Wort hören
- Sinfonia
- Recit. (Basso): O Wunder
- Duetto (Soprano, Alto): Jesu, großer Himmelskönig
- Recit. Arioso (Soprano, Basso): Du bist
- Aria (Basso): Komm, du holdes Kind
- Choral: O liebes Kind
- Coro: Gott fähret auf mit Jauchzen
- Recit. (Tenore): Komm, Tochter Zions
- Coro: Lobsinget unserm Könige
- Aria (Basso): Erschallet, ihr Klüfte
- Recit. (Soprano): Herr, eh ich dich
- Aria (Soprano): Komm, ach komm
- Recit. (Alto): Noch eins, mein Heil
- Aria (Alto): Wenn ich erhöhet werde
- Choral: Zeuch uns nach dir
Contents
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Composer
Wilhelm Friedemann Bach
| -1784Wilhelm Friedemann Bach, the oldest son of Johann Sebastian, enjoyed the reputation of an outstanding, but at the same time one of the most independent-minded composers of his age. His work represents the ambitious attempt to absorb the legacy of his father and to develop the taste of his own generation further. Lofty artistic ambitions are to be found in almost all of W. F. Bach's works – from the early piano pieces via the cantatas of his middle period to the late sonatas and fantasias. Wilhelm Friedemann Bach wrote keyboard and chamber music, concertos and sacred cantatas. On a high level of technical ability he created a fascinating synthesis of baroque complexities and the emotionally charged galant style. While his instrumental works were written for the most part in Dresden (1733–1746) and Berlin (1774–1784) and are in the style of splendid courtly music, the vocal works date from his time as organist and director of music at the Marktkirche in Halle (1746–1764); they are distinguished by their expressive boldness and virtuosity. Personal details
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Preface writer
Peter Wollny
| 1961
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Ensemble
L'arpa festante Barockorchester
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Ensemble
Bachchor Mainz
Their successful commitment to the rich repertoire of choral music from the 16th century to the present has earned the Bachchor Mainz a fine reputation both in Germany and abroad. The choir was founded in 1955 by Diethard Hellmann, who directed it for thirty years. Under the artistic direction of his successor Ralf Otto, the ensemble’s programming has continually expanded, with Otto placing particular emphasis on seldom performed works. Parallel to this he has established a tradition of historically informed performance practice in and around Mainz. Ralf Otto attaches great importance to the artistic and technical development of each member of the choir. The resulting ensemble enables groups to be assembled specifically for each work to suit its stylistic requirements. This ranges from compact ensembles for early music, sometimes with just one to a part, to a large concert choir for repertoire from the Romantic and modern periods. With the Munich baroque orchestra L’arpa festante, the Bachchor has found a sympathetic partner for historically-informed performances. A further hallmark of the Bachchor Mainz is its numerous radio and television broadcasts and CD recordings. In addition, the choir also enjoys close artistic ties with guest conductors including Eliahu Inbal, Michael Gielen, Peter Eötvös, Georges Prêtre, Peter Schreier, Adam Fischer, Sylvain Cambreling, Riccardo Chailly, and Philippe Jordan. The Bachchor Mainz gives frequent guest performances in Germany and abroad. Since 1992 the choir has regularly performed in the Philharmonic Concerts at the Zürich Opera House. It was named “Best Choir of the Year 2003” by the Association of Argentinian Music Critics. In 2006 the Bachchor Mainz was again invited by the Mozarteum Argentino to Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay where, with the German Philharmonic Orchestra Rhineland- Palatinate, it performed Mozart’s Great C Minor Mass and Handel’s Messiah in Mozart’s version to sold-out houses (including several concerts in the Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires). Personal details
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Conductor
Ralf Otto
A fascination with choral music and cultivating the rich heritage of sacred music are the driving forces behind Ralf Otto’s artistic work. From the beginning, the key considerations in his work have included tonal flexibility, varied color and transparency. For Ralf Otto, clearly conveying the compositional structure of each and every work is an essential prerequisite for a deeper expression of the music. To achieve this, he demands a high measure of professional sensitivity and concentration from his choir and orchestra in both rehearsal and performance. His hallmark is a refusal to compromise on matters concerning the perfection of the sound. Ralf Otto has achieved major national and international success with the Vokalensemble Frankfurt, which he founded in 1980, before being appointed conductor of the Bachchor Mainz in 1986. He was professor of choral conducting at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen from 1990–2006, and now holds a similar position at the Hochschule für Musik in Mainz. In addition, Otto has previously worked regularly with the Munich Bach Choir and the radio choruses of Norddeutscher Rundfunk and Westdeutscher Rundfunk. He is also much in demand as an orchestral conductor, which has led to guest conducting engagements with several renowned ensembles, including the Polish Chamber Philharmonic, Philharmonia Hungarica, Munich Radio Orchestra, Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Junge Deutsche Philharmonie, L’arpa festante Munich and Concerto Köln. Otto was chief conductor of the Hesse State Youth Symphony Orchestra from 1998– 2000. Personal details
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Soloist - soprano
Dorothee Mields
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Soloist - alto
Gerhild Romberger
Alto Gerhild Romberger studied with Heiner Eckels at the Hochschule für Musik in Detmold. She continued her studies in Lied interpretation with Mitsuko Shirai and Hartmut Höll. She is now professor of singing at the Hochschule für Musik Detmold, and at the Folkwang Hochschule Essen. A busy concert schedule takes her throughout Germany and abroad, including to the Norddeutscher Rundfunk Hamburg, the Basel Symphony Orchestra, singing Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder in Prague, to the International Beethoven Festival in Bonn, and the Munich Philharmonie. The Süddeutsche Zeitung wrote, “Gerhild Romberger sings, and time stands still.” She specializes in oratorio, Lied recitals, and contemporary music. Numerous radio and CD recordings illustrate her vocal standing. Personal details
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Soloist - tenor
Georg Poplutz
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Soloist - bass
Klaus Mertens
Reviews
[…] Sopranistin Dorothee Mields und Bass Klaus Mertens [überzeugen] mit stilsicherer Gestaltung.
Konrad Klek, Quatember, 2/2011
[This disc] is an important release, offering previously unheard music of the highest quality and in performances which positively set the music alight.
Simon Heighes, International Record Review, Juni 2011
Die interpretatorisch wie aufnahmetechnisch exzellente Einspielung [... nimmt ein] durch musikantischen Elan, unforcierte Expressivität und klangliche Opulenz.
www.codexflores.ch, 02.05.2011
Zwei neue CDs, beide fast ausnahmslos mit Ersteinspielungen angefüllt, dokumentieren die weithin vergessenen musikalischen Perlen und führen zu einem audiophilen Genuss.
Peter Wollny, musik&liturgie, 1/11
Der Bachchor Mainz widmet sich den Werken mit hörbarer Freude und Hingabe. Die teils sehr komplexe Stimmführung wird mit bewundernswerter Leichtigkeit bewältigt, der Klang bleibt dabei federnd und transparent. Der Charakter jeder Kantate von eher kammermusikalischer Intimität (‚Wohl dem, der den Herren fürchtet‚) bis hin zum kraft- und glanzvollen Gotteslob wird treffsicher herausgearbeitet. Gleiches gilt für die Instrumentalisten von L’arpa festante, von denen besonders die Hornisten und Trompeter ihre anspruchsvollen solistischen Partien mit Bravour meistern. [...] Eine sichere Bank sind die Solisten, unter denen besonders Klaus Mertens und Dorothee Mields echte Glanzlichter setzen. [...] Alles in allem handelt es sich um eine wunderbare Einspielung, die man immer wieder mit Gewinn hören kann.
Frederik Wittenberg, klassik.com, 13.02.2011
The cantatas [...] performed here for the first time are outstanding artistic contributions to the genre of the church cantata after J. S. Bach.
BBC Music Magazine, 01/2011
Otto's interpretations, the precision and excitement, dynamism and thoughtfulness of the instrumentalists as well as the persuasive and expressive contribution from soloists Dorothee Mields (soprano), Gerhild Romberger (alto), Georg Poplutz (tenor) and Klaus Mertens (bass) make this a CD over which you need not hesitate. The acoustic is clean and concentrates our attention on the music. The booklet contains brief but informative background and full texts in German and English. It's also useful to have emerging bibliographical data for the scores. Carus is preparing a new critical edition. A real winner.
Mark Sealey, musicweb-international.com, Recording of the month, 01/2011
[...] auch von interpretatorischer Seite ist diese CD [...] überaus gelungen. Denn sowohl der Mainzer Bachchor als auch das in München beheimatete Ensemble „L'arpa festante” erweisen sich - einschließlich Solisten - als stilsichere Besetzung für dieses Projekt. Hut ab! - was dem viel geschmähten „Bohemien” zweifellos gut tut
Matthias Keller, Bayern Klassik, 23.11.2010
Die aktuelle Veröffentlichung enthält Kantaten zu Advent, Weihnachten und Neujahr, weitgehend unbekannte Werke. Beim Hören winkt immer mal wieder der Herr Papa aus der Ferne, vor allem mit dem berühmten Weihnachtsoratorium. Aber das tut der Freude darüber, dass diese eigenwillige, kunstvoll gewebte Musik endlich die ihr gebührende Aufmerksamkeit erfährt, keinen Abbruch. Eine ideale Ergänzung für die sonstigen Dauerbrenner in der Advents- und Festzeit.
Angela Kaiser, MDR Figaro, Sendung Take 5 (CD-Empfehlungen der Woche), 15.11.2010
Dem Bachchor Mainz und den Solisten gelang hier, affektreich begleitet von L'arpa festante, unter der Leitung von Ralf Otto eine spannende CD mit Kirchenmusikwerken, die es wegen ihrer Qualität wirklich verdienen, den Archiven entrissen zu werden.
Herbert Bolterauer, Singende Kirche, Heft 4, 2010
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