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Masaaki Suzuki & Bach Collegium Japan

Cantatas Vol. 17

Cantatas BWV 153, BWV 154, BWV 73, BWV 144, BWV 181

Recording

C-17	J.S. Bach: Cantatas Vol. 17 - Cantatas from Leipzig 1724
Cantatas BWV 153, BWV 154, BWV 73, BWV 144, BWV 181
Masaaki Suzuki
Bach Collegium Japan
Soprano: Yukari Nonoshita; Counter-tenor: Robin Blaze; Tenor: Gerd Türk; Bass: Peter Kooy
BIS		Mar 2001	CD / TT: 66:53
Recorded at the Kobe Shoin Women's University Chapel, Japan. Buy this album at: Amazon.com

BCJ series - Vol. 17 (!)

Piotr Jaworski wrote (February 20, 2002):
Pushing our old train back to the old track ... while this is still the Bach Recording List ;-)

We've only slightly touched the volume 16th of the Masaaki Suzuki and his BCJ fantastic resies of JSB cantatas. And there is already the next one ... 17th.

With such works: BWVs 153, 154, 73, 144 and 181; soloists Yukari Nanoshita - soprano, Robin Blaze - alto, Gerd Turk - tenor and Peter Kooij - bass.

No comments yet - both volumes arrived only minutes ago .... but they will definitely come.

Marten Breuer wrote (February 20, 2002):
[To Piotr Jaworski] Vol. 17 is great, Piotr, I've listened to it a few times, it's really best Suzuki style. I haven't found the time yet to comment on it. Enjoy it!

Tom Hens wrote (February 21, 2002):
Can somebody who follows Suzuki's series tell us how many volumes he records a year? Given that he has something like 43 more volumes to go, I really wonder in what year this cycle will be finished.

Donald Satz wrote (February 21, 2002):
[To Tom Hens] I think he records about 2 to 3 a year at most. I'll probably be finished before he is.

François Haidon wrote (February 22, 2002):
[To Tom Hens] I think that if he keeps the same rythm he will be done around 2018-2020. Phew. Come to think of it, with the recent Koopman fiasco in mind, one wonders whether Bis will still be active by that date, whether there will be a recording industry at all (who said "Norman Lebrecht"?)

Donald Satz wrote (February 22, 2002):
[To François Haidon] Sure, there will be a recording industry in 2020 and those of us still around will certainly be snapping up those discs or whatever the actual product might be. As for Norman, I have little doubt that he dramatizes and exaggerates for 'effect', money, and reputation. What Norman never tells us accurately is how the world of economics operates.He sees loss whenever there's an instance of retrenchment in the record industry; I just see opportunities for others.

Thomas Braatz wrote (February 24, 2002):
With all this talk about the new Suzuki cantata recordings, I decided to order directly from the USA Distributor of BIS records, Qualiton. I wanted to order Vols. 14, 15, 16, 17 which are displayed prominently on the Qualiton Website as being available for purchase. Would you believe that they do not have a single copy of any of these in stock? Possibilities: 1) They have been selling great quantities of these recordings and are unable to keep up with the voracious appetite of the American public for Bach cantata recordings due to demand created by newsgroups such as this one; 2) The apparent sudden demise of the Koopman cantata project has created an additional demand for the Suzuki recordings because the latter is the only recording series currently in progress and those who were buying the Koopman series are now shifting their loyalties to the Suzuki series; 3) Being wary of the declining Bach cantata market (the unfinished Gardiner, Koopman, Herreweghe series etc.), Qualiton has been stocking less than 4 or 5 copies for the entire US market, realizing that they may not sell many copies of the Suzuki cantata recordings; 4) Qualiton is waiting for a sufficiently large number of orders to be placed before they stock or restock these items. Any other ideas or suggestions?

Donald Satz wrote (February 24, 2002):
[To Thomas Braatz] I have found that Qualiton often doesn't have what it advertises, so I don't think it has anything to do with Bach, Koopman, or Suzuki - it's all Qualiton.

Allegro offers much better service, and nothing beats buying directly from the recording company.

Aryeh Oron wrote (February 24, 2002):
[To Thomas Braatz] In Israel all Suzuki's volumes up to Vol. 17 are available for purchase from the local distributor through the local stores. I know that the local distributor has much more than 4-5 copies of each in stock. I believe that market in Israel is about 5% of the American market. I do also believe that the demand for Bach Cantatas has only expanded in the last couple of years, due to many reasons - Bach 250; promotion by record labels such as Warner (!), BIS, Archiv, Brilliant Classics, Harmonia Mundi; radio and CD programmes; and even (dare I say?) groups like the BCML (with more than 230 members!). And you know that once you discover this huge magnificient and endlessly satisfying world, it is not easy to get yourself out of it. Not one member of the BCML admitted that his (or her) purchases of Bach Cantatas' CD's has largely expanded since he (or she) joined the list. Reading the various opinions in the Koopman's Petition [ http://www.bach-cantatas.com/Performers/Koopman-Petition.htm ], you will be able to realise how important is this music for so many people around the world. It is only logical to assume that the number of enthusiastics for this music is greater today than it has ever been.

Maybe Qualiton ordered too few copies from the supplier (although most of the artists in this series are Japanese and the record label is Swedish, the last Suzuki's volumes were printed in Austria!). So you have to be patient, although I do understand why you can't wait!

Suzuki – Vols. 16 & 17 (part 2)

Piotr Jaworski wrote (March 1, 2002):
Since most of the record companies have strange distribution policy, I'm not at all surprised that in one country certain title may appear even months later than in any other. (Truism...) On this group however - covering almost the whole World(!) we can at least inform each other beforehand ;-) So here are my remarks on recent two - really extraordinary - volumes of the Masaaki Suzuki and Bach Collegium Japan JSB cantatas cycle - published by Swedish BIS. Two more volumes of one of the most exciting recording projects of our times - IMVHO. But as the JSB cantatas are concerned - this is the MOST! However I can imagine, that for greater effect, some desperate ones may nowadays claim on that field someone else's superiority.. (bitter irony).

So, here are the works we can find on both discs:

Volume 16 (BIS 1131):
"Höchsterwundschtes Freudenfest" (BWV 194)
"Preise Jerusalem, den Herrn" (BWV 119).

soloists: Yukari Nanoshita and Yoshie Hida - sopranos, Kirsten Sollek-Avella - alto, Makato Sakurada - tenor, Jochen Kupfer – baritone and Peter Kooij - bass

Volume 17 (BIS 1221):
"Schau, lieber Gott, wie meine Feind" (BWV 153)
"Mein liebster Jesus ist verloren" (BWV 154)
"Herr, wie du willst, so schicks mit mir" (BWV 73)
"Nimm was dein ist, und gehe hin" (BWV 144)
"Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister" (BWV 181).

soloists: Yukari Nanoshita - soprano, Robin Blaze - alto, Gerd Turk - tenor and Peter Kooij - bass

First, let me refer to the extraordinary system of Cantatas rating as elaborated by Simon Crouch. For any reference, for any additionasource of information - His cantatas site is ESSENTIAL. Here's the link - however, I'm sure that, at least on the BRL, almost everyone knows it...:

http://www.classical.net/music/comp.lst/works/bachjs/cantatas.html

I'll take the freedom to give my own assessment - whether I share SC's rates, or not... ;-)

And here are my comments on the Volume 17:

BWV 153 (SC rating - "3+")
{Three male voices only .... in this cantata and practically in all other ones. Soprano appears only for a while in last three works. }
Well, I think that Simon (as well as this cantata!) simply waited for Robin Blaze! His interpretations of the recitative and especially aria "Soll ich meinem Lebenslauf" are wonderful. So is Kooij! I wish he gave the same kind of performance at SMP this Monday ..... His aria "Furchte dich nicht..." is absolutely not "just plain dull"! And when we are with SMP, I wonder who will guess what other passages the Chorale "Und ob gleich alle Teufel" reminds us ... My overall would then be close to "2+".

BWV 154 (SC rating - "2+")
Again - Blaze shines, he's definitely the best Suzuki's "acquisition and investment" since Mera. I'm sure that Scholl get's blushed while listening to him...;-) SC is right in his description in every sentence. All the nice qualities of the score found very decent interpreters - soloists but as well instrumentalists! And indeed - the final aria for tenor and alto ("Wohl mir, Jesus ist gefunden") is "very attractive", splendid 'crowning' of this charming cantata.

BWV 73 (SC rating - "1")
High rate given by SC ... And rightly! (Maybe I'd only add "+"...) Everything for everyone: haunting melodies, nice arias, nice and complex construction. Indeed, the tenor/oboe aria "Ach senke doch den Geist.." is a spectacular piece. Oboe accompaniment simply magic. "Herr, so du willt..." - the bass aria - is beautiful, and - again - I wish Kooij sings that good in Warsaw.... Top rate cantata - hats off to SC - and splendid performance – special 'bravo' to the choir of BCJ for the final chorale.

BWV 144 (SC rating - "2+")
No, no, no. This cantata does not deserve "2+", here I have to disagree with Simon Crouch. First - the opening chorus sets the bar very, very high. The following alto aria ("Murre nich, Lieber Christ") makes a terrific continuation. Countersigned with both hands under SC remarks! So why only "2+"??? Yes, yes, yes - SC did not listen to Blaze yet! ;-) As for the first solo soprano aria on the disc I have to complain a bit - I'm not totally convinced by Yukari Nonoshita. Oboe d'amore playing much more interesting than her performance... Sadly. But maybe that aria is not that captivating... Hmmm, better beginning than finish .... SC's right: "2+".

BWV 181 (SC rating - "2+")
Listen, listen to the opening splendid bass aria "Leichtgesinnte Flattergeister"! Peter Kooij one-man-show! But the whole cantata is a glorious piece of music! Fantastic music. Absolutely among favourite ones - "2+" is not just - at least "1". But there are moments - well, if there can be any 'moments' in this very short work - it takes BCJ 12'38'' only. Those two pieces, that SC is so much enthusiastic – the said bass aria and the final chorus ("Lass, Hochster, uns zu allen Zeiten") are pure gems really. I could listen to this chorus again and again. If anyone would compile the Best JSB Choruses CD - that would be one of them. And - as you can imagine - the instrumental ensemble and choir are gorgeous. What a disc!!!

All to the stores!!!

And "part one" - about volume 16 - will follow, maybe on Monday ... hard times - no time at all :-(

Peter Bright wrote (March 1, 2002):
[To Piotr Jaworski] Thanks Piotr - I'm still waiting for vol 17, but if it is as good as 16 I'll be very happy indeed!

Piotr Jaworski wrote (March 1, 2002):
[To Peter Bright] You'll know by Monday for sure! ;-)
I didn't give this volume that amount of listening as the 17th. But it's superb - you already know that - and I know that. If the 17th is "as good as 16th"??? I'd say "yes", definitely yes.

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Last update: ýJanuary 19, 2006 ý20:19:07