English Baroque Soloists, John Eliot Gardiner - J.S. Bach: Cantatas BWV 106, 118 & 198 (2000)

Illness and death constantly disrupted the security of Bach's childhood and adulthood.We do not know when or for whom the "Actus tragicus"BWV 106 was written. Bach was in the habit of using compositional devices to illustrate theological points. In the central movement of BWV106 the earnest plea "Ja komm, Herr Jesu!" (Come, Lord Jesus!") is repeated more than 15 times, and the music demonstrates that the plea is not in vain.

A spiritual longing for eternity with Christ emanates from the text and the music of the motet :'O Jesu Christ, mein's Lebens Licht' BWV118/231(O Jesus Christ, light of my life). The motet was first given in 1736 at a Leipzig memorial service; we don't know for whom. Gardiner guides his chorus through the nine movement long motet with gentle confidence. His knowing control of the pace sustains both the long lines(reminiscent of the opening chorus to St. Matthew Passion)and the harmonic tension. This is truly a heart-rendingly beautiful motet.

Bach wrote the text and music of a mourning ode,"Lass,Furstin,lass noch einen Strahl"BWV198 for Christiane Eberhardine, Electress of Saxony. It is an indication of the timeless quality of Bach's music that today these 3 works can inspire and comfort people of every creed and nation.

John Eliot Gardiner has again produced a truly wondrous recording of Bach's music with his excellent Monteverdi Choir and a fabulous group of soloists:Nancy Argento (soprano)-Michael Chance (countertenor)-Anthony Rolfe Johnson (tenor) and Stephen Varcoe (bass). My favorite Aria: "In Deine Hande befehl ich meinen Geist" (Into Thy Hands I Commend My Spirit) sung magnificently by Chance.

Just an aside and for your information:re-releases and remasterings are commonplace in the recording industry, so don't be 'bent out of shape'if you get caught buying something that you already own. Just do a bit of research on the internet and you will find out easily if it is a remastering etc. OR frequently the issuing date is a clue and often the information given about the recording whereever you buy it will state that it is a remastering or re-release. I'm somewhat annoyed that the overall rating of this particular disc was brought down by reviewers who are NOT judging the music, but their situation. Please don't be one of those who do so. THIS IS A TRULY MARVELOUS AND MOVING RECORDING OF BACH'S BEAUTIFUL MUSIC.