Bach, J S: Cantata BWV138 'Warum betrübst du dich, mein Herz'

The four cantatas selected by Philippe Herreweghe for this recording date from the first year of Bach's activity in Leipzig.

Written at a tight pace between late July and early September 1723, they underscore, above all, the composer's obvious effort to establish original musical proposals.

He continually showed the musicians and listeners that he was not serving them routine 'cantor's music' but was writing sacred music as a true Kapellmeister.

In this first volume of Bach cantatas for the PHI label, the Collegium Vocale Gent is interpreting a few cantatas (BWV 25 and 46) for the first time.

These interpretations are becoming more and more established. “A rare treat, Kuijken – and Bach – at their very best” BBC Music Magazine. This volume contains cantatas for the 15th to 18th Sundays after Trinity.

2010 marks the 40 anniversary of Collegium Vocale Ghent: founded by Philippe Herreweghe at a time when the Baroque revival was still an affair for specialists, the Belgian choir has been at the very heart of the rediscovery of Bach’s sacred music. Abundantly illustrated and elegantly presented, these nine CD-books offer you the entire collection of Bach/Herreweghe recordings.

“Forty years after its foundation it’s all too easy to take the excellence and consistency of Collegium Vocale Ghent for granted: back in 1970 there wasn’t any such ensemble in mainland Europe. Philippe Herreweghe, a psychiatry student, founded CVG to put his ideas into practice…CVG became part of the first complete Bach cantata project for Telefunken, Herreweghe, at hospital in the day, conducting his choir in the evening sessions… Presentation is exemplary: top quality at mid price, and a birthday gift that really will keep on giving.” Andrew McGregor, BBC Music Magazine, June 2010

Upon popular demand available again: Bach’s complete Sacred Cantatas, newly compiled, on 50 CDs, an unbelievable bargain.

These recordings, produced for the Bach‐year 2000, feature a superb boys choir, the Holland Boys Choir, a tradition going back to the time of the composer. The Netherlands Bach Collegium consists of Dutch early music specialists playing period instruments. Conductor Pieter Jan Leusink puts his entire soul in these recordings of what one might call “the greatest and most humanly moving corpus of sacred music ever written”.

Reviewers around the world praised the set for its “characteristic performances, marked by a great sense of authencity, especially from the use of boy sopranos”. It sounds very much like it might have sounded in Bach’s time (Gramophone).

Written to exalt the glory of God and to facilitate Lutheran worship, Johann Sebastian Bach’s sacred cantatas stand among the highest achievements of Western musical art. This acclaimed recording sees the works performed in their entirety by a stellar line‐up of musicians that includes the renowned Holland Boys’ Choir and period instrument ensemble Netherlands Bach Collegium. The cantatas are directed by Pieter van Leusink, one of Holland’s leading Bach experts. From the plaintive opening of Weinen, Kleinen, Sorgen, Sagen (‘Weeping, lamenting, worrying, fearing’) BWV12 to the triumphant D major chorus in Man singet mit Freuden vom Sieg BWV149, the works traverse a wide range of themes and moods, having been written for a variety of occasions throughout the liturgical year.

Between 1999 and 2006, the legendary baroque music specialist Ton Koopman brought together a stunning array of singers to record the complete cantatas of J S Bach alongside his own Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and Choir. Released originally mostly in 3CD sets, this wonderful cycle is now being made available by Challenge Classics in its entirety. The 67 separate CDs have now been gathered together in a box with a booklet that includes a complete tracklisting and information about each recording.

Along the way these releases were acclaimed throughout the world, and received many major music prizes, including a BBC Music Magazine Award in 2006 for Volume 22 (CC72222). Featured soloists include most of the great modern day interpreters of the music of Bach’s time.