Bach, J S: Cantata BWV80 'Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott'

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.

Founded by Masaaki Suzuki in 1990, the Bach Collegium Japan began its landmark series of Bach's cantatas in 1995. In order to celebrate the ensemble's 20th anniversary – and indeed the 15th anniversary of the start of the cantata cycle – Suzuki has now devised a compilation of some of his personal favourites among the choral movements from the cantatas. The programme of the disc follows the Lutheran liturgical calendar, beginning with Advent and ending with the Feast of the Reformation, a feast which commemorates the day (31st October 1517) on which Martin Luther posted his 95 Theses, the spark that would set off the Reformation in Germany. This disc thus traverses the full range of events and emotions that constitute the church year, from the joyous expectancy of Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, by way of the Passion of Christ, to Bach's elaboration on Martin Luther's own hymn Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott. In his own comments to the ample selection, Masaaki Suzuki gives his reasons for choosing these particular movements, and also offers two further favourites 'beyond the church year'. These are both pieces which in different ways transcend the boundaries of calendars, churches, religions and even nations: Bach's universally loved setting of Jesus bleibet meine Freude, and Dona Nobis Pacem, the heartfelt prayer for peace for the world from the B minor Mass.

Alongside some magnificent, less well-known cantatas, this set contains two of Bach’s most famous works: the “Kreuzstab” Cantata BWV 56 for solo bass, expressing the desire to relieve Christ of the burden of the Cross, is an intimate yet intensely dramatic work, poignantly sung by Peter Harvey; BWV 80 “Ein feste Burg” is, by contrast, a monumental choral cantata celebrating the most intrinsically Lutheran festivity, the Feast of the Reformation - from the colossal, initial choral fugue to the final chorale it is a veritable rollercoaster!

The transcriptions of Bach’s keyboard works for full symphony orchestra by Leopold Stokowski, one of the greatest conductors of the twentieth century, formed a successful part of his crusade to increase the accessibility of music. In reality Stokowski’s transcriptions had little to do with Bach: they are rather complete re-compositions in the manner of Wagner or Tchaikovsky for the late-romantic symphony orchestra. They have enjoyed continuing popularity since Stokowski first introduced them, and took a central rôle in the internationally popular film which he made with Walt Disney, Fantasia.

The recordings on this CD were made between 1927 and 1939, with Stokowski conducting in all instances The Philadelphia Orchestra, whose lush orchestra style was clearly well suited to his musical vision of Bach.