Bach cantatas: from Suzuki and Kuijken

Masaaki Suzuki is by now a familiar figure to those on the Bach pilgrimage: the volumes of his complete cantata project with Bach Collegium Japan have now reached the thirties. Volumes 29 and 31 include works from Bach's second year as Cantor at Leipzig (1724–5), and there is also an attractive pairing of the so-called Easter and Ascension Oratorios; like the Sigiwald Kuijken series below, all these come in Hybrid SACD format, playable on both CD and SACD machines.

J. S. Bach: Cantatas vol.29 (BIS SACD-1461, rec 2004, 72') contains three works for Sundays after Trinity (Ach Gott, vom Himmel sieh darein, BWV2, for the second Sunday, Ach Herr, mich armen Sünder, BWV135, for the third, and Aus tiefer Not schrei ich zu dir, BWV38, for the 21st), as well as Ach Gott, wie manches Herzeleid, BWV3, for the second Sunday after Epiphany. There is a practical reason for this grouping: all the works call for some combination of trombones and cornett, ably played here by Concerto Palatino and adding some attractive touches of colour to the performances. J. S. Bach: Cantatas vol.31 (BIS SACD-1481, rec 2004, 77') focuses mainly on Christmas works from the same cycle, including cantatas for 25, 26 and 27 December 1724. Although all the works take a chorale as their starting point, they reflect the variety with which Bach approached both text and music of the Lutheran hymns. For example, in BWV2 and BWV38 the opening chorus adopts an old-fashioned contrapuntal style whose sombre tone is emphasized by using instruments, including trombones (though for practical reasons a cornett takes the soprano line), to double the voices throughout; the first movement of BWV133 has the familiar structure of the chorale tune presented phrase by phrase in the top part, while in BWV135 and BWV3 it appears in the bass line doubled by a trombone; and in some solo movements short passages of recitative alternate with measured chorale phrases.

The Christmas works contain some fine music. For example, Gelobet seist du, Jesu Christ, BWV91, for Christmas Day, opens in suitably celebratory mood with a dancing 6/8 chorus with horns and crisp timpani, though the recording, in the customary resonant acoustic of the Shoin Women's University Chapel, could have given them rather more prominence. The tenor aria 'Gott, dem der Erden Kreis zu klein', in a French style reminiscent of 'Ach, mein Sinn' from the St John Passion, shows off the three oboes of the Bach Collegium Japan as well as the tenor soloist, Gerd Türk. Ich freue mich in dir, BWV133, again establishes a mood of jubilation, using two oboes d'amore doubling the strings in the opening chorus and as solo instruments in the ensuing alto aria, elegantly sung by Robin Blaze, who also blends well with the clear soprano of Yukari Nonoshita in the duet of BWV91. Peter Kooy revels in the fine bass aria in Christum wir sollen loben schon, BWV121, whose lively string writing, performed here with bags of energy, depicts 'John's joyful leaping' in the womb of his pregnant mother Elizabeth.

The Easter Oratorio Kommt, eilet und laufet, BWV249, was actually based on a cantata performed a few weeks earlier to celebrate the birthday of Duke Christian of Sachsen-Weissenfels; for the sacred version Bach changed the original dramatis personae of two shepherds and two shepherdesses to the disciples Peter and John and the two Marys. The work was actually revised several times, as the excellent liner notes explain, and this performance is based on the final version dating from 1749.

J. S. Bach: Easter and Ascension Oratorios (BIS SACD-1561, rec 2004, 71') typifies Suzuki's approach. Tempos are well chosen and almost invariably feel natural; there is some excellent instrumental playing, particularly from the oboes and flutes, though even the fine obbligato of flautist Liliko Maeda and sensitive singing from Yukari Nonoshita cannot sustain the aria 'Seele, deine Spezereien' for over 11 minutes. The orchestral forces, with six violins, two violas, one cello and one...