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This
is the 25th volume of a 160-CD collection of Bach recordings on
the German label Hänssler, which is to cover all the music the great
master wrote (not counting the hundred or so lost cantatas, concerti,
etc., of course).
Recorded
between 1972 and 1981, the recordings here are naturally
not exactly up to today's high standards, but is nonetheless very
acceptable. What is a little disappointing at first - for me - is
that for performances made in this period, the Bach scholar Helmuth
Rilling did not use the "authentic" approach. Not exactly, anyway.
The results are that these performances sometimes sound rather "old
world", like the 1960s recordings by Hans Richter on Deutsche Grammophon,
or Fritz Werner on Erato. In a word - old. During the 1970s and
1980s, other Bach exponents such as Christopher Hogwood, John Eliot
Gardiner (now here's a frequent traveller) or Joshua Rifkin were
already making much headway for the "historically informed" school.
The extremely enlightening booklet notes defend Rilling - who "doesn't
see much sense in reconstructing isolated aspects to convey the
meaning of Bach's works to modern listeners who have a completely
different background in every respect." I do not agree with this,
even less in the context of a "postmodern" world where the individual's
background is chameleonic, and we're more than capable of being
cubist in our perspectives over meaning. On my part, being a child
of the 1970s, I can only offer my opinion from the viewpoint of
someone who grew up on the aforementioned "authenticist" conductors,
not on Rilling or Richter or even the old Harnoncourt/Leonhardt
cycles. This is my position.
One
thing I do agree with Rilling - that the objective of the performance
philosophy is still the same. Hence in the final analysis, what
comes across in these Hänssler recordings is a curious mix of the
old and the new - or I should say, the old and the eternal. What
I mean is that although the approach is comparatively more outmoded
on the surface, the result is not surprisingly and often satisfyingly
true to the Bach spirit.
Take
the choruses and chorales of the cantatas here: certainly not as
detailed and transparent as I like them, or as melodious as Koopman's
Amsterdam Baroque Chorus, or as crisp and superhumanly precise as
Gardiner's Monteverdi Choir - but mixing an old-world solidity a
la Richter and a freshness and sincerity to match Koopman. I
enjoyed the musical results of the Gächinger Kantorei, their solemn
chorales substantial and unburdened, radiating a kind of earthy
beauty. The words are usually clear, a good example being the opening
chorus of BWV 78.
There
is a hint of heaviness in the overall orchestral-vocal/choral picture,
but textures remain quite light and pliant. To my tremendous relief,
the trumpet is sane, silvery and kindly vibrato-less, unassumingly
(if a little too straight) accompanying the mezzo aria of Cantata
77. The use of the modern trumpet here convinces me of its value
- for once I must find fault with my favourite Baroque trumpet:
in that mezzo aria, comparing with Koopman rendition, it is plainly
obvious that the Baroque instrument has trouble negotiating the
difficult runs and trills; while the modern trumpet, played with
little vibrato and subdued tone, sounds gently at ease with the
notes nicely articulated. The sense of reverence in Rilling's trumpeteer
makes the performance so much more beautiful. I must also highlight
the musical sensitivity of flutist Andras Adorján (no less! One
of the few woodwind names I remember from the old days) and the
oboists.
Although
modern instruments are used, Rilling has carefully created this
light and articulate sound. Balance is very comfortable, with continuo
and counter melody coming through at just the right level. The bass
lines, for example, reach through the orchestral and choral layers
with ample weight and clarity, though their boomy and slightly boxed-in
sound suggests to me that articifial boosting may have occurred
during remastering.
What
about the vocal soloists? Note the presence of sopranos Helen Donath
and Arleen Augér (again, no less!). Both are stars of their day.
The former deserves praise for her warm and bright voice in BWV
77 (try "Mein Gott, ich liee dich von Herzen" on track 3). One good
test is the famous "hastening feet" duet of Cantata 78, Jesu,
der du meine Seele - a delightful - rather cute actually - vocal
spin for soprano, alto (I prefer countertenor) and cello continuo.
This duet is sometimes fatally assigned to choir.
Personally
I have always adored the lovely performance by Julianne Baird and
Allan Fast on Rifkin's L'Oiseau Lyre 1988 recording (Double Decca
455 706-2), to which I compare this quick-footed (very quick at
4'38"!) rendition by Augér and Carolyn Watkinson (an alto of note
since the days of Hogwood/Gardiner). Like the indefatigable cello
continuo (bravo!) which includes a bubbly organ, this performance
is light-hearted and delightful, with the appropriate sense of mild
anxiety which befits the libretto (hastening for help). It is always
amusing to hear this piece (shaking my head in chagrin when a choir
is involved) - Bach's combination of soprano and alto is brilliantly
merry, and so is this performance.
Aldo
Baldin makes a heroic tenor in this cantata as well, with one fiercely
fearful recitative and one flute-accompanied aria of joyous determination.
He is joined by the commanding bass of Wolfgang Schöne, who launches
into a fabulously potent account of the aria "Nun du wirst mein
Gewissen stillen" ("Now you will quiet my conscience" 12) -
what stupendous bass melisma! Effortless power nobly controlled!
Surely one of the high points of this disc.
Right:
J.S. Bach - 1746 portrait by
E.G.Haussmann.
Cantata
79 Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild ("God the Lord is sun
and shield") is the latest of the cantatas recorded here, committed
in 1979. A Reformation cantata (BWV 80 is the more famous one),
BWV 79 is a celebratory work resplendent with horns. Rilling's reading
is OK, if slightly lacking in focussed sound and weight. The timpani
in the opening chorus and the third movement chorale is strangely
muffled (it sounds more like a stuttering motor), and the orchestra
could drive a bit more. Praise to the horns though, trotting along
gracefully while Peter Lukas Graf's woody flute pleasingly accompanies
Augér in the winsome and enjoyable aria "Gott is unsre Sonn und
Schild".
The
album is backed by elegant notes, with scholarly writeups dealing
with both the musicological and literary-metaphysical aspects of
the music-libretti. Like the Erato/Koopman series, the track index
helpfully details the orchestration of each movement. As a matter
of fact, Erato ought to learn a thing or two from Hänssler regarding
the provision of notes for the cantatas: Andreas Bomba, the author
for Hänssler, carefully lays out the date, occasion, notes on the
text and edition for each cantata. (Hänssler might like to note
that the "Composed for" and "Performed on" entries in the English
notes appear to be reversed). Full libretto is provided, although
the English translations sometimes be too hard trying in sounding
poetic, at syntax's expense.
All
in all, an enjoyable and enlightening disc. I was very pleased to
reacquaint myself with some of the musicians I've grown up on (in
the late 80s). Though the sound quality is old-tech, the readings
themselves do justice to Bach. This despite any "authenticity" points
I have raised. Collectors following the Koopman series should not
feel obliged to follow this one - collecting Bach cantatas is an
expensive hobby! - and authenticists should sample first. But it
is worth noting that Rilling's reading of Cantata 77 is similar
in feel and just as good as Koopman's on Vol.8 of the Erato series
(except that bit about the trumpet...). Both produce very beautiful
performances that are comparable despite the differences in style
- Bach's eternal qualities must be at work. While Rilling's reading
is more lilting, smooth and lyrical, Koopman's has a bit of that,
but more bounce.
If
you feel like trying something different, the Hänssler series, at
mid-price, is an enlightening ride. It is to Helmuth Rilling's credit
that his musical beliefs do triumph over actual instrumental stylistics,
not least of of all in his unfussy, honest and unassuming direction.
CHIA
HAN-LEON
isn't that old. But he is getting old. He remembers Andras Adorján
and Milan Munchinger and still has some of his Award cassettes.
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630:
11.1.2000 © Chia Han-Leon
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