The seventh volume of Ton Koopman’s projected complete cantata survey contains pieces which Bach performed at Leipzig in 1723 and 1724. Koopman’s line-up of soloists has been taking a while to settle down and, in this volume, the alto solos are shared between Elisabeth von Magnus, one of the greatest strengths of the series, so far, and Bogna Bartosz. Paul Agnew, who made a fine contribution to the previous issue, is absent from the present one, all the tenor arias being sung by Gerd Turk, and Lisa Larsson and Klaus Mertens provide their customarily stylish and warm-hearted performances as soprano and bass soloists respectively.
As well as containing three superb examples of Bach’s genius in the cantata medium – Nos. 67, 105 and 147 – Vol. 7 contains a handful of rarely heard pieces, of which No. 136, with its colourfully brilliant opening chorus, is perhaps the most immediately striking. This highly imaginative movement in A major was later to provide Bach with the “In gloria Dei patris” of his Lutheran Mass in the same key. At the opposite end of the affective scale is the sombre, penitential chorus which determines the prevalent character of No. 25. This technically ingenious double fugue in E minor is difficult to carry off convincingly in performance but Koopman, with his clearly defined contrapuntal strands and responsive choir, succeeds better than any rival version that I know. There is a gracefulness and a fluency in his direction, discernible here and elsewhere in the present set, which I have sometimes missed in previous issues of the series. These virtues, with those of soloists, choir and instrumentalists, come together rewardingly in No. 95. This highly original cantata, with its syncopations, dissonances, bold key changes, and references to four hymns with their associated melodies, all in the opening chorus, is, quite simply, breathtaking. The music commands our attention at every turn, disturbing and pleasing our senses in equal measure. But perhaps it is the following two movements, a trio setting for soprano, oboes d’amore and continuo of the melody, “All glory, laud and honour”, and a tenor aria, rich in imagery, with oboes d’amore and pizzicato strings, which most readily capture our imagination and win our hearts. Lisa Larsson sings the former with ingenuous charm while Gerd Turk, in the latter, seems to sustain Bach’s mercilessly high vocal range with the greatest of ease. There is something of the spirit of Gray’s celebrated poetic Elegy in this music, and the imagery that inspired it is beautifully projected by singer and instrumentalists alike.
With 12 cantatas under scrutiny it is impossible to discuss them all. But the overall picture of this set is mainly convincing, with some very fine playing and singing – only the occasionally over-assertive projection of countertenor voices from the choir fails to please. The pros and cons of Koopman’s approach have by now been fairly well aired, stances assumed and viewpoints rehearsed. A continuo which includes organ, harpsichord and lute remains a contentious issue, but this bothers me less than occasional self-conscious gestures towards the textual declamation which affect the natural flow of the music. One such instance which seems to my ears gratuitously meddlesome is the mannered treatment of the opening phrase of the choral interludes in the bass aria of No. 67.
Any disappointment here, though, seems relatively slight beside the many excellent contributions of Koopman’s artists. If, on balance, No. 105 struck me as a shade lacking in strength of purpose, then such feelings were ameliorated by the well-nigh perfect partnership of Larsson and oboist, Marcel Ponseele, in its poignant soprano aria, certainly one of the highest peaks in a stimulating issue.'