Reviews

CD-review: Bach motets

17.05.2008

(Summary)

[…] The Nederlands Kamerkoor, with its rich tradition of producing ambitious recordings, has, together with young conductor Peter Dijkstra, taken up the challenge of recording these classic works of Bach, his six Motets.

As Dijkstra himself says, he aims at the most vocal approach possible to the choral parts, and in the CD booklet he strongly rejects any earlier, purely instrumental interpretation of Bach’s vocal music. This is reflected in a fundamentally positive way in his choice of tempi, which – apart from a few exceptions – are generally on the slower side. The version of the Motets presented on this CD by Dijkstra and the NKK can certainly be described as a totally valid interpretation. […]

The opening sections of the motets ‚Der Geist hilft unser Schwachheit auf’ BWV 226 and ‚Singet dem Herrn ein neues Lied’ BWV 225 Dijkstra interprets in a dance-like manner and with some considerable elegance. This is clearly appropriate and corresponds to the light and naturally relaxed sound of the Kamerkoor. Given its slender sound, which at the same time is clearly based on a choral ideal, the technically demanding fugue‚ Die Kinder Zion’ in BWV 225 is a downright success: it has seldom been heard so perfectly balanced and refined as on this recording.

But the core of any recording of the Bach Motets remains ‚Jesu, meine Freude’ BWV 227. And here too Dijkstra’s approach works: The chorales are sung without any pressure, the vocal texture is clear and transparent. [...]

Dijkstra and the Nederlands Kamerkoor here present Bach’s Motets in a coherent interpretation, of which the chief strengths are an agile lightness and elegance, making it convincing overall.