Reviews

CD-review: Bach motets

01.09.2008

“Music: 5/5 Sonics: 4,5/5

Finally, a recording of Bach’s motets that employs a moderately-sized choir (two dozen voices - no “one-to-a-part” stuff here!), utilizes a simple basso continuo (organ and cello), and refuses to get hung up on the “did he or didn’t he” nonsense regarding BWV 230 (Lobet den Herrn), rightly including it among the “standard six” works Bach composed in this rather vaguely defined genre.
Other recordings offer very satisfying results but this one captures the essence of these extraordinary works as vocal music, stripping the scores down to texts and singers, with instruments enlisted as unobtrusive partners in filling out texture and adding body to the bass line.
COnductor Peter Dijkstra is not as concerned with particular means of articulation as he is with the importance of “the vocal line”, which he regards as paramount. These motets never have sounded so fresh, alive, and exiting, nor has a choir so proficiently and artfully demonstrated the ingenious and powerful musical dialogs in the double-choir works or more handily elucidated the profoundly difficult movements of Jesu, meine Freude.
Channel Classics’ sound is typically demonstration-quality, and the packaging is sensible and user-friendly.
DD”