The following list of 10 recordings represent the most highly-regarded new Bach releases of the past few months. All of the recordings were selected as an Editor's Choice or Recording of the Month in Gramophone. You can read the original Gramophone reviews by following the links. 

JS Bach St Matthew Passion 

Sols; Gächinger Cantorey / Hans-Christoph Rademann 

Accentus 

An imaginative, inspiring and choreographed approach to Bach’s St Matthew Passion, movingly performed by players, soloists and 100 children from schools around Stuttgart.  

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Bach Magnificat

Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque Soloists / Sir John Eliot Gardiner

Soli Deo Gloria 

Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s new recording celebrates music Bach wrote for Christmas in Leipzig – a release stamped with his hallmark of musical excellence. 

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JS Bach The Art of Fugue – excs Beethoven String Quartet No 13

Australian Chamber Orchestra / Richard Tognetti vn  

ABC Classics 

Tognetti and his ACO colleagues bring their trademark energy and virtuosity to this hugely enjoyable programme.   

Read the review in the Reviews Database | Download from Qobuz

JS Bach Secular Cantatas, Vol 8 

Bach Collegium Japan / Masaaki Suzuki 

BIS 

So frequent an appearance on this page is Masaaki Suzuki and the Bach Collegium Japan – Bach recording veterans of 22 years – that one can only reiterate past praise again!  

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JS Bach Cantatas Nos 54 & 170 Pergolesi Stabat mater

Lucy Crowe sop Tim Mead counterten La Nuova Musica / David Bates

Harmonia Mundi 

The first of two Stabat maters this month (following, indeed, James MacMillan’s new setting last issue), and very moving it is too. 

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‘Bach Reimagines Bach’ 

William Carter lute

Linn 

William Carter brings a remarkable depth of artistry to whichever member of the early plucked string family – and whichever composer – he’s playing: here it’s the lute, and Bach, and it’s a beautiful listen.

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JS Bach St Matthew Passion 

Monteverdi Choir; English Baroque Soloists / Sir John Eliot Gardiner 

SDG 

Sir John Eliot Gardiner’s leadership and vision – from his use of primarily choir soloists to his conveying of the work’s overall journey – make for an immensely moving St Matthew Passion. 

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JS Bach Orchestral Suites 

Zefiro / Alfredo Bernardini ob 

Arcana 

These Bach overtures grab the listener’s attention with a thrilling theatricality and sense of joyful drama, all wonderfully directed by Alfredo Bernardini.

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JS Bach Goldberg Variations 

Beatrice Rana pf 

Warner Classics 

Another new Goldbergs set, from another young pianist? Yes, and a really remarkable one it is too. Beatrice Rana’s interpretation of the familiar work is fresh, fun and reflective in turn. 

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Bach Family ‘Dynastie’ 

Jean Rondeau hpd et al 

Erato 

Directing from the harpsichord, Jean Rondeau leads his colleagues – who all seem to share a happy rapport – in a highly enjoyably and characterful survey of music by Bach father and sons. 

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