BACH: Cantatas - Danco; Krause, Winburgh, Stuttgarter Kammerorchester; Karl Munchinger (2CDS)

Karl Münchinger recorded all the major orchestral and choral pieces by Bach for Decca, and over a period of some 30 years (from the Mono to the Digital eras), five of the Cantatas. All boast remarkable soloists from their eras. Suzanne Danco sings the two solo cantatas, BWV 51 and 202, recorded in 1953 and released on CD for the first time. Elly Ameling and Helen Watts are soloists in the early cantata, BWV 10. And the digital recordings of Ein feste Burg and Wachet auf feature Julia Hamari and Tom Krause. The collection is rounded off with two of the most popular orchestral arrangements from the Bach cantata repertoire – Jesu, joy of man’s desiring and Sheep may safely graze.

‘Suzanne Danco’s lively and musicianly performances in both Cantatas gave me much pleasure’ Gramophone

‘The smoothest and sweetest of string playing’ (Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, Sheep may safely graze) Gramophone

*** ‘very well performed’ (Cantata BWV 10) Penguin Guide

‘excellently transparent and well-detailed Decca digital recording and a fine team of soloists … the chorus’ vigorous contribution is given striking body and presence’ (BWV 80 and 140) Gramophone

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH
CD 1
1 Cantata ‘Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen’, BWV 51
2 Cantata ‘Weichet nur, betrübte Schatten’, BWV 202 (Wedding Cantata)
Suzanne Danco, soprano

3 Cantata ‘Meine Seele erhebt den Herren’, BWV 10
Elly Ameling, soprano
Helen Watts, contralto
Werner Krenn, tenor
Marius Rintzler, bass
Wiener Akademie-Chor

CD 2
1 Cantata ‘Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott’, BWV 80
2 Cantata ‘Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme’, BWV 140
Gabriele Fontana, soprano
Julia Hamari, mezzo-soprano
Gösta Winbergh, tenor
Tom Krause, baritone
Hymnuschor

3 Jesu, joy of man’s desiring, BWV 147
4 Sheep may safely graze, BWV 208

Stuttgarter Kammerorchester
Karl Münchinger