Bach, J S: Cantata BWV3 'Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid'

“Gardiner's performance of Ach Gott, wie manchesHerzeleid bends the ear towards the power of doleful dissonance, as the opening chorus wends its way through the 'narrow path of sorrow' with all the emblematic trappings of the operatic chaconne. Equally compelling is the taut, cathartic duet 'Wenn Sorgen', where Joanne Lunn and Richard Wyn Roberts chase each other in canonic bliss – in what Gardiner describes as Bach's 'Singin' in the Rain'.
Indeed, it is the naturalness of the solo singing that marks out this latest volume. Not always smoothed out or glamorous, the response is always fresh, engaged and alive to text. Roberts proclaims his consoling chorale in Meine Seufzer with a fervour encapsulated in the opening aria by the passionate angst of Julian Podger's exhortation and – if it seemed possible – yet greater despair from the slightly uneven but characterful Gerald Finley in 'Ächzen und erbärmlich Weinen'.
William Towers brings a telling control and declamation to the fine opening aria of Jesusschläft. Gardiner rightly asserts that few places reveal the operatic Bach more triumphantly than the peerlessly graphic aria 'Die schäumenden Wellen' – especially in the slightly more forgiving space of Romsey Abbey, allowing Paul Agnew to let rip brilliantly. Bach is not just profoundly arrested by the raging sea but also by the implications of faith following Jesus's calming miracle in Peter Harvey's authoritative 'Vox Christi' scena. The bonus of the great motet Jesu, meine Freude, performed with customary vividness if not polish by the Monteverdi Choir, completes another memorable addition to the series.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“Gardiner's performance of Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid bends the ear towards the power of doleful dissonance, as the opening chorus wends it way through the 'narrow path of sorrow' with all the emblematic trappings of the operatic chaconne. Equally compelling is the taut, cathartic duet 'Wenn Sorgen', where Joanna Lunn and Richard Wyn Roberts chase each other in canonic bliss - in what Gardiner describes as Bach's Singin' in the Rain. The bonus of the great motet Jesu, meine Freude, performed with customary vividness if not polish by the Monteverdi Choir, completes another memorable addition to the series.” Gramophone Magazine, September 2006

“a textural clarity and a lightness of tread which makes more sense of Bach's often strongly chromatic music than any rival recording that I can recall.” (BBC Music Magazine)

“…Masaaki Suzuki brings… a textural clarity and a lightness of tread which makes more sense of Bach's often strongly chromatic music than any rival recording that I can recall. Singing and playing is of a very high standard almost throughout. German soprano Dorothee Mields' light, ethereal singing and pleasingly textured voice is ideal in this context...” BBC Music Magazine, February 2006 ****

“The theme of these four works from Bach's second cycle of cantatas at Leipzig is almost universally concerned with the journey from despair towards longed-for reconciliation and the victory over sin. Masaaki Suzuki has chosen three works from the Trinity season of 1724, and the Epiphany cantata, Ach Gott, wie manchesHerzeleid (No 3) from early 1725. Again, no Japanese soloists appear in this volume, yet the singers all produce worthy contributions in arias which mainly provide solace after the gloomy sentiments of the opening movement.
The chorus of No 2 is a case in point, a chorale fantasia whose austere and semi-inspired (it's all comparative) motet style can appear, in less capable hands, dour to the point of inertia. The work is soon lifted by the revelation of God's cross in 'Fire purifies silver', a strikingly contrasting à la mode aria sung with compelling involvement from Gerd Türk. The patience of Suzuki's glowing chorus with its doubling trombones builds with sustained gravitas here and in the highly suggestive contours of No 38, Austiefer Not, a work inspired by Luther's Phrygian hymn and where succour is harder to unearth.
One really can't but admire Suzuki's judgement when confronted with the contemplative.
There are high-points in all the choruses: No 3 arches with eloquence, the hopeful but longsuffering oboe sequences countering the biting, dissonant language. Likewise, the pacing of AchHerr, mich armen Sünder (No 135) results in a naturally incremental voyage of genuine discovery.
Occasionally the arias pursue generic smoothness over greater articulation of sentiment.
Such is the case in the fine duet 'Wenn Sorgen' (from No 3), where the strings never make the most of the wonderful 'leap' of joyful praise to Jesus. In sum, another serious addition to this most consistent of Bach series.” Gramophone Classical Music Guide, 2010

“One really can’t but admire Suzuki's judgement when confronted with the contemplative. There are high-points in all the choruses: No 3 arches with eloquence, the hopeful but long-suffering oboe sequences countering the biting, dissonant language. Likewise, the pacing of Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder (No 135) results in a naturally incremental voyage of genuine discovery.” Gramophone Magazine, July 2006

“Remarkable” Penguin Guide