From: jwa@vipunen.hut.fi (Jyrki J Wahlstedt)
Subject: Re: recordings of Bach's Cantatas: recommendations wanted
Organization: Helsinki University of Technology, Finland
Date: 29 Sep 92 02:58:11

In article <27990094@otter.hpl.hp.com> sec@otter.hpl.hp.com (Simon Crouch) writes:

   ****************
   From bwalsh@math.rutgers.edu Tue Feb 11 05:35 GMT 1992
   'Sie werden alle aus Saba kommen,' S. 62 (cf. the C-major prelude &

! This should be 65

   *****************
   From nsh3@cunixf.cc.columbia.edu Fri Feb  7 00:16 GMT 1992

   HOWEVER, the second movement is one of the most perfect
   pieces Bach ever wrote.  It is a duet for two sopranos and
   organ called "Wir eilen mit schwache doch entlichen Schritten
   zu helfe, zu dir."  Honest.  We called it "wir eilen."  If

! The duet is for soprano and alto and there are also cello and doublebass!

  And then my own list (quite long, I love these!) in addition to the
  aforementioned:

  BWV	Name
  12	Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen (IMO on of the finest, three great
	arias just after one another. Liszt wrote some variations on
	some part of this cantata, I didn't listen to it, have seen the
	name, perhaps the opening chorus, the bass line of which Bach
	himself used in B minor mass.)
  19	Es erhub sich ein Streit (Strong opening chorus and one of the
	most beautiful tenor arias in all cantatas.)
  20,60	O Ewigkeit, du Donnerwort (The second composition is notable,
	because Alban Berg used its last choral "Es ist genug" in the
	last movement of his Violin concerto, note for note with minor
	additions)
  26	Ach wie fluechtig, ach wie nichtig (good text, especially in the
	bass aria, I used to listen this the last thing in the evening
	for some time.)
  32	Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen
  33	Allein zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ
  56	Ich will den Kreuzstab gerne tragen (one of the great solo
	cantatas, for bass this time)
  62	Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland
  81	Jesus schlaeft, was soll ich hoffen (fine aria for bass, where
	you hear the sea roaring)
  95	Christus, der ist mein Leben (there is a tenor aria here, when
	you hear it once, you'll remember it)
  103	Ihr werdet weinen und heulen ("Ode an die Freude" by Bach in the
	tenor aria, really one of the most joyous pieces in all Bach)
  128	Auf Christi Himmelfahrt allein
  170	Vergnuegte Ruh, beliebte Seelenlust (beautiful music for alt solo)
  212	Mer hahn en neue Oberkeet (here you have an example of La Folia
	theme by Bach, all in all the music frolicks to and fro)

  It is a pity that there is IMO only one good set of all cantatas (that
  of Harnoncourt and Leonhardt). Maybe there are others (not seen), but
  the other one I know of (Rilling) puts an arbitrary collection of
  cantatas on one disc. I can't stand that, Harnoncourt goes in numerical
  order. Harnoncourt is mainly of good quality, though sometimes uneven
  (IMO a tenor he uses, Marius van Altena, should stay away from Bach.
  I like to skip the tenor aria in cantata 40, it's so bad). But...
  if you don't like boy sopranos, don't buy these! If it is enough for 
  you to get single cantatas, the choice is yours!

  Sorry if you find this too long, but the subject is kind of favourite.
--
!
!	Jyrki Wahlstedt
!		Jyrki.Wahlstedt@hut.fi
!
!  Our life is no dream, but it should and will perhaps become one.
!
Newsgroups: rec.music.classical